Tearman Spencer’s Deputy Criminally Charged With Misconduct in Public Office

Odalo Ohiku appears before the Finance & Personnel Committee in 2022. Image from City of Milwaukee City Channel – City Clerk’s Office.

A former Milwaukee deputy city attorney faces a criminal charge for allegedly intentionally falsifying three statements of economic interests related to his outside law practice.

Odalo J. Ohiku, says a criminal complaint, failed to include that he was receiving income from his private law practice, Ohiku Law Office, while working for the city between 2020 and 2024.

The attorney has been charged with one misdemeanor count of misconduct in public office – false entry. The maximum penalty is a $10,000 fine and nine months in jail.

Ohiku, 46, was one of then-City Attorney Tearman Spencer‘s four deputies and managed a team of assistant city attorneys. Spencer lost his reelection bid in April.

The deputy, and Spencer, faced a scathing fall 2023 report from Common Council Inspector General Ronda Kohlheim. The report, based on court records, said Ohiku was representing outside clients without using vacation time or other leave from the city.

Deputy and assistant city attorneys are not prohibited by ordinance from doing outside work, but they must disclose outside sources of income to avoid conflicts of interest. The Common Council couldn’t agree in March on whether to bar outside work.

Kohlheim said her report, when it was publicly discussed in November, was not designed as a political hit, but instead its release was delayed from July at the request of District Attorney John Chisholm.

Spencer, years prior, said Ohiku was winding down outside work. But Kohlheim’s report and online court records show that didn’t happen.

According to the complaint, he filed reports in 2021, 2022 and 2023 indicating he had no outside income in the year prior.

The city’s Open Data portal shows that Ohiku was paid $138,953 in 2023.

The charges were filed on June 21 by Assistant District Attorney Nicolas J. Heitman.

Ohiku resigned before the election in 2024 .

According to online court records, Ohiku is scheduled to first appear on July 24 before Judge Milton Childs. Ohiku is represented by attorney Nathaniel Cade, who declined to comment.

A graduate of Marquette University Law School, Ohiku’s law license is in good standing. According to online court records, he continues to represent several clients. His firm, according to its website, employs two additional attorneys.