Ohio attorney suspended for trying to bring meth, child pornography into jail

CLEVELAND — An Ohio attorney was indicted on multiple charges for possessing child pornographic materials and methamphetamine while inside the county’s justice center.

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The Ohio Supreme Court announced that a Cleveland attorney was suspended from practicing law after attempting to bring in narcotics into the Cuyahoga County Jail as well as having child pornography on his phone during inspection.

Eric Norton, 49, scheduled a meeting with an inmate on December 15, 2022, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said. While the attorney was in the justice center about to go through security, a deputy saw suspicious behavior.

Norton removed his belongings into a tray at the start of the security process, but then abruptly left his possessions and walked off to the men’s restroom, located in the lobby.

The deputy went into the same restroom after Norton exited to inspect the facility due to the suspicious behavior. The deputy found 5.12 grams of methamphetamine in a plastic bag.

Norton was detained.

A search warrant for Norton’s phone was issued as part of the investigation. While deputies executed the search warrant, they found child pornography stored inside Norton’s phone.

Following the searches, Norton was arrested for the following charges: one count of Illegal Use Of Minor In Nudity-Oriented Material Or Performance, one count of Drug Possession, one count of Illegal Conveyance Into Detention Facility, one count of Tampering With Evidence, and one count of Possessing Criminal Tools.

“I would like to thank the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department for their vigilance in this matter which prevented methamphetamine from entering the county jail,” O’Malley said. “I would also like to thank our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the Cleveland Office of the FBI and for their work in this matter.”

Norton specialized in “criminal defense (all felonies and misdemeanors) [and] sex crimes,” among others, as part of his private practice.

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