UPDATED: Criminal charges filed against Hillsboro mayor on Jan. 5
The Highland County Press
Criminal charges were filed on Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, according to a record on the Hillsboro Municipal Court website.
The Highland County Press made a copy of the report at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5. However, shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, the report was no longer on the Hillsboro Municipal Court website.
The Municipal Court Case number is or was 1600014. The case type was listed as “criminal.”
On Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, a spokesperson from Hillsboro Municipal Court told The Highland County Press the file would be available Friday afternoon. The case is currently sealed, pending investigation, the court said. The sealed case is scheduled for review in 90 days, Judge McKenna said.
Shortly after posting the case online, Hillsboro Municipal Court also posted “Case no longer on file” at its public site: 24.123.13.34/cgi-bin/search.cgi.
A source told The Highland County Press at 4:49 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, the case was brought forward by the Hillsboro Police Department and the charge was “obstructing official business.”
At approximately 6:50 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, Hillsboro Police Chief Todd Whited spoke with The Highland County Press.
Chief Whited asked that The Highland County Press withhold any publication of the Hillsboro Municipal Court record at that time.
On Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, Chief Whited said it was OK to publish the story.
Chief Whited and HPD Captain Jeff Murphy met with The Highland County Press on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 6, 2016, and again asked the newspaper to continue to withhold publication until the investigation is complete. They said they are working with Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera and his office on the case.
Hillsboro City Council President Lee Koogler called Chief Whited at this time and both agreed not to comment publicly on the pending case on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, The Highland County Press emailed Hillsboro Municipal Court Judge David McKenna, Hillsboro City Law Director Fred Beery and Hillsboro Police Chief Todd Whited seeking clarification and comment on Case No. 1600014.
Judge McKenna responded: “A criminal complaint was filed against Mayor Hastings on Jan. 5, 2016 in the Municipal Court for attempted obstruction of official business, a third-degree misdemeanor. No arrest warrant was issued. A summons on the complaint was issued.
“As per our routine protocol, when the complaint was entered, it appeared on the Municipal Court website. Shortly thereafter, the prosecutor (Hillsboro City Law Director Fred Beery) requested that the website information be taken down until the complaint could be served. This would be similar to a sealed indictment. I had the clerk remove the website information until the complaint was served. Any further information would need to come from the prosecutor.”[[In-content Ad]]
Later, McKenna informed The Highland County Press that the case was dismissed on Wednesday, Jan. 6.
Chief Whited said on Wednesday afternoon the case was still active and being investigated, but Hastings had not been served on the charges.
Beery did not reply to an email from Jan. 5 seeking clarification.
At 5:26 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, Chief Whited said he has spoken with Sgt. Chris Bowen at the sheriff's office and that the investigation is ongoing.
According to a Dec. 16, 2015 search warrant signed by Judge Rocky Coss and executed on the Hillsboro City Building, there was probable cause to believe that in the city of Hillsboro the following criminal offenses have occurred:
• Forgery, in violation of 2913.31 of the Ohio Revised Code; and,
• Theft in office in violation of 2921.41 of the Ohio Revised Code.
On Dec. 22, 2015, Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins told The Highland County Press that she has requested a special prosecutor from DeWine’s office, saying “an attorney that specializes in this type of law needs to be involved.”