Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith placed Sergeant Jimmy Childs on paid administrative leave Friday before the officer was arrested in connection to the Athens County Prosecutorâs Officeâs sweeping investigation into the Bellar family.
Smith said in a news release from the prosecutorâs office that his office will enlist an outside agency to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations levied against Childs once legal proceedings conclude.
âIt has been my mission to restore the integrity of The Athens County Sheriffâs Office during my tenure, and we will continue to hold our deputies to a high ethical and professional standard,â Smith said in a statement. âThere are no allegations of wrongdoing against this office or any other deputy. We will continue to be open, honest and forthcoming with this investigation.â
Father and brother of Serah Bellar plead not guilty to charges related to reported sexual abuse
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Police Blotter: Man swings sticks at deputies; man throws rocks at cars
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From staff reports
The alleged leader of an area drug ring pleaded not guilty to charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and aggravated possession of drugs in the Athens County Common Pleas Court Monday.
Judge Patrick Lang ordered that Roger Rutter, 50, of Glouster, be placed under a bond of $1 million.
First Assistant Prosecutor Meg Saunders argued for the million-dollar bond, citing Rutter as a âsubstantial flight risk.â Saunders pointed out that Rutter was aware that law enforcement was searching to execute an arrest warrant on him because he shared a media release to that effect on his own Facebook account. She also cited Rutter running from law enforcement when spotted near the Burr Oak Dam and that Rutter hid from police during the search of the Glouster home in which he was eventually found, a prosecutorâs offce press release stated.
The Athens County Sheriff s Office is currently seeking information regarding the whereabouts of Shayne Barnhart, 37, of Athens, who reportedly failed to report to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail (SEORJ) following medical furlough.
A nationwide warrant for arrest was filed in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas on Feb. 3 for Barnhart for failure to report to SEORJ. He was previously indicted for failure to comply with order or signal from a police officer, a third-degree felony; and endangering children, a fourth-degree felony.
The Athens County Prosecutorâs Office submitted a request for medical furlough for Barnhart in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas, effective Dec. 16 last year, per court documents. The medical furlough request was granted by Judge George P. McCarthy. Because of privacy laws, Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn couldn t say why Barnhart required medical attention.