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Former Deputy Clerk of Court's Mark Lime in court for sentencing for theft in office.

(Rachel Dissell, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A judge sentenced a former Cuyahoga County deputy clerk to five years in prison for stealing court-related fees.

Common Pleas Judge Kathleen Ann Sutula said Mark Lime lacked "moral character."

"The harm caused to the public of Cuyahoga County is a mess," Sutula said. "It is a sad day for Cuyahoga County again."

Lime's attorney said he would appeal the sentence.

Lime, of Parma, pleaded guilty in July to 37 felony charges including 18 counts of tampering with records, 18 counts of unlawful use of a computer system and one count of theft in office.

Prosecutors, in a sentencing memorandum, said Lime abused the public trust to steal money for his own personal benefit -- even taking money that was intended for Ohio crime victims.

Assistant County Prosecutor James Gutierrez said Lime orchestrated working alone on Saturdays to facilitate his thefts. Gutierrez said prosecutors were only able to determine a certain amount of money stolen because of the way court records were kept -- under a set of rules he said Lime devised.

"He wrote the playbook and then he played it," Guitierrez said. "Corruption is corruption. I don't care how you slice or dice it."

Current Clerk of Courts Andrea Rocco said Lime's thefts robbed funds that assisted victims and indigent defendants. Rocco said the sentence should send a message to the people whose trust Lime violated, including employees who worked under him.

Lime faced up to 58 years in prison. Prosecutors asked that he serve at least five years in prison. His attorney asked for him to be assessed for a community facility or probation.

Lime's attorney said the case involved an accumulation of small thefts over a seven-year period of time.

"He rationalized to himself that these small amounts over time didn't mean anything," Michael Maloney said, adding that the 58-year-old had no gambling or drug addiction nor did he live a fancy lifestyle.

Maloney said the crimes were out of character for Lime and never impacted criminal cases or bonds in any way. He argued Lime's crimes were different than other county officials convicted of taking bribes.

"This is not me," an upset Lime told the judge. He asked the judge for a second chance.

Lime said there was daily pressure from bondsmen who wanted their bonds recorded paid. However, that argument didn't sit well with Sutula.

"I guess I will never quite understand that," she said, baffled at his rationale.

Lime headed the Clerk's criminal division from 2002 until August 2011. Prosecutors said the crimes began in 2004.

Lime admitted to stealing more than $8,500 in bond payments using two different schemes. As part of his plea, Lime is required to pay $8,715 in restitution. The judge also ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine.

In some instances, Lime took a victim of crime fee that was payable on top of any bond that was posted by criminal defendants. Before 2009, the victim of crime fee was $45 and after 2009, the amount increased to $85. Lime would either pocket the fee and manipulate court records to cover his tracks or he would simply steal the money without docketing the payment.

In addition, he took payments made in cash by bond companies after their clients failed to show up in court.