Toledo attorney Phillip Carlisle faces two felony charges in a Lucas County Jail contraband probe, court records show. The case marks a rare felony prosecution of a practicing defense lawyer in northwest Ohio and could lead to the suspension of his law license.
Lucas County prosecutors filed a bill of information Thursday charging Carlisle with two felony counts of obstructing official business. The counts stem from an investigation into contraband allegedly brought into the Lucas County Jail, court papers say.
The 13 Action News I-TEAM obtained 28 pages of reports on the jail contraband investigation. The records include video footage, attempts to speak with inmates and recorded jail phone calls.
Carlisle appears several times in those reports. Investigators said he was seen on video as they looked into the allegations, according to the filings.
The Lucas County Sheriff’s Office ran the inquiry before handing it to county prosecutors. A bill of information lets prosecutors bring charges without going to a grand jury.
No court date has been set.
The I-TEAM made several attempts to reach Carlisle. Those calls had not been returned as of Thursday.
Court records do not list an attorney for Carlisle. The Lucas County Bar Association has not commented on the case. A bill of information is a written accusation filed by a prosecutor that begins a criminal case without a grand jury indictment.
