Jimmy Dimora's long road to federal prison sentence began when FBI agents knocked on his door

AKRON, Ohio - Former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora's long road to a federal prison sentence began when FBI agents knocked on the front door of his Independence home in September 2010. Hours later, a mug shot of the man who was once the most powerful politician in Cuyahoga County was snapped by federal marshals.

By late afternoon on Sept. 15, 2010, Dimora emerged from the courthouse after posting bond and began proclaiming his innocence.

But his legal battle had just begun.

Just six months later, even more corruption charges were filed against Dimora in March 2010.

Then, last September, a new round of  conspiracy and corruption charges involving Dimora and Cleveland businessman Michael Forloni were filed by federal prosecutors.

Those charges against Dimora were later dropped after his conviction on racketeering and corruption charges last March.

But by December 2011, Dimora's attorneys were filing motions claiming that prosecutors were unfairly piling on and making it impossible for them to prepare for the scheduled January trial date.

The strategy worked -- for a few weeks.

Dimora arrived at the federal courthouse in Akron last January but the trial was, in fact, delayed when Dimora asked a federal appeals court for a ruling in his case.

Finally, on Jan. 27, Dimora's long awaited corruption trial began.

Testimony continued for seven weeks and in early March, the four-year FBI probe involving Dimora  ended when a jury convicted him on racketeering and corruption charges.

Dimora is scheduled to appear in federal court Monday morning  where he could be sentenced to more than 22 years in a federal prison.

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