Convicted podcaster's arraignment on perjury later today
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SANDUSKY โ Big questions linger heading into Ashli Fordโs arraignment this morning in Erie County Common Pleas Court on a perjury charge stemming from her testimony in her own defense on May 21 at her fraud trial.
Ford lied, according to prosecutors, when she testified that her current husbandโs uncle was a witness the day she and her ex-husband signed and had loan documents notarized. Ford recalled details of the interaction she, her ex- and the notary all had that day with โUncle Gene.โ
But former Sandusky Schools superintendent Dr. Eugene โDocโ Sanders was in Florida on that day, according to prosecutors. A post Sanders made at his Facebook page provided them photographic evidence that Ford was lying, they contend.
Sanders said heโs been estranged from Ezekiel Ford, Ashli Fordโs husband, for years. Itโs not known if Sanders was called before the grand jury, or if he will be a witness at Fordโs trial in September. The trial in May ended in a hung jury.
Stormy weather ahead?
Huge questions still hang like storm clouds over Fordโs forgery case, including whether her defense counsel, Peter Pattakos, will be in the courtroom today. Pattakos was a no-show June 30 when Ford was initially summoned to appear for an arraignment on the new charge. She showed up; he didn't.
Attorneys who represent clients who get charged with perjury walk an incredible fine line between being a zealot advocate for their clients while fulfilling their absolute obligation to the court to be truthful and transparent. Pattakos is more reckless bull dog than a fine line counsel.
One of Fordโs supportersโTerry Burtonโposted at social media that Ford told him Pattakos is a very busy attorney and was unable to attend the first arraignment. Burton, who worked briefly for the Norwalk Reflector, asked the court on June 30 to give him permission to photograph at todayโs hearing. The court had not ruled on the request as of this morning.
But when he did work for the newspaper Burton wasnโt authorized to cover Fordโs trial because of his relationship with her. Neither Burton, nor the Reflector, ever announced why Burton no longer works for the newspaper.
What happens next, exactly?
Pattakos has not responded to questions about his situation, or made any social media posts about his intentions since the perjury charge was returned by the grand jury nearly a month ago. An extended comment at his firmโs Facebook page posted May 26โa debriefing of sorts immediately after a mistrial was declared in Fordโs first fraud trialโincludes demonstrably false information.
The post also suggests that Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter and Common Pleas Judge Beverly McGookey colluded to corrupt the jury. In the post, the firm asks jurors to come forward and confirm the corruption. Itโs unknown if any jurors did, or if Pattakos will bring evidence of the jury corruption allegation. In the past heโs made claims of prosecutorial misconduct and retaliation, but did not back them up with any evidence. Itโs the same M.O. (modus operandi) that Ford and her mentor follow.
Pattakos did not answer questions posted in the comments section under the firmโs post and the firm deleted some comments. The firm also did not respond to emails and declined to correct demonstrably false information in the post, or address concerns raised about it.
Oops. Did she just testify to that?
Ford is accused of scheming to obtain $30,000 in COVID relief money using her ex-husbandโs identity and his credit to secure a mortgage in his name without his knowledge. Ford forged the loan documents and provided false information about her ex-โs income after she and her new husband failed to pay rent or make mortgage payments for three years while living in the home, according to prosecutors. Fordโs new husband, Ezekiel Ford, does not work or have an income, according to an earlier court filing.
Ford was indicted June 12 by a county grand jury on one count of perjury, which is being added to Fordโs pending forgery case. Her original 12-count indictment was returned in July 2025 and included forgery, identity fraud, theft, tampering and records charges. She now faces 13 counts, in all.
Stay tuned Sandusky.
LIVE coverage after arraignment from the courthouse on Thursday.
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