Butler County auditor corruption investigation continues after latest charge
Jul. 13—Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds has been charged with another count in an investigation into whether he used his office for personal gain, this one involving Lakota Schools and Four Bridges Country Club.
The Butler County Prosecutor's Office released grand jury indictments today that add a sixth felony charge of having an unlawful interest in a public contract against Reynolds. That new charge is a fourth-degree felony, and the indictment indicates it stems from actions in January 2017.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said the new charge carries a possible 18-month prison term if he is convicted. The charge involves money Reynolds' office routinely returns to taxing districts each year that are not needed to pay for his office's services.
"It basically started with Roger Reynolds and a group of people approaching the Lakota Schools, one of their administrators, the people in charge of the money, and were basically talking about the money that they return to the schools," Jones said. "He made a recommendation and tried to coerce them into taking the money they were going receive and he tried to encourage them to build something for the Four Bridges golf course."
He said the charge involves family members, and Reynolds as a member of golf club, where he also lives.
"I told you in the beginning this investigation has not finished and is not finished as we speak," Jones said Wednesday. "It's a very sad day."
In September 2017, Reynolds' office returned $2 million to all taxing districts and $459,498 to Lakota. The fees are monies the auditor's office receives from the state for calculating and distributing real estate taxes from levies to local governments. The auditor's office doesn't need all the fees to operate.
Jones said they are also still investigating an incident involving dirt and tax reductions.
Reynolds was initially indicted Feb. 9 on five counts for bribery and leveraging his public office to further his own interests. Three are felonies and two are misdemeanors. His trial is schedule for Aug. 15.
The bribery charge in that group of five is a third-degree felony. It carries a potential sentence of nine months to three years and a fine up to $10,000. The other two felonies are fourth degree for unlawful interest in a public contract. Those carry penalties of six to nine months.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones has said if Reynolds is found guilty on all counts, the maximum penalty would be seven-and-a-half years in prison. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's Office is handling the case. He petitioned the Ohio Supreme Court to have Reynolds suspended from office while the criminal charges are pending, but the special panel found it wasn't warranted.
Jones' office began investigating Reynolds last summer after receiving complaints about his development dealings.
An investigation overview from the sheriff's office said developers Brian Jimenez and Tim Haid have written notes and a phone call recording in which Reynolds allegedly asked for a $200,000 "cash payment" to serve as a "consultant and use his political influence to get a TIF, tax increment financing, assigned to an area of Hamilton Mason Road in Butler County to assist in the development of properties along the road."
The Journal-News listened to the 15-minute recorded call, and there is no mention of a $200,000 consulting fee. The discussion was about getting sewer in the area, and Reynolds — who grew up there — helping to the get the neighbors on board with a new development.
They discussed working together to get the entire area redeveloped, and there was a reference to a previous conversation between the two.
"Yeah, figure out somehow, something to work together. You know, I put something, I've thrown something out to you, I don't know, it's been two or three months ago working with you and trying to help you get everything you need down there as far as support," Reynolds said on the call.
At the end of the conversation, Reynolds said, "If you want to work together on it, let's do it. If not, then that's OK too."
The sheriff's office summary said Jimenez and Haid were trying to develop a property on Hamilton Mason Road owned by 88-year-old Gerald Parks — who filed a civil lawsuit against Reynolds in September — for a senior living community that would rival a development on Reynolds' father's land across the street.
Part of the "consulting" deal apparently also included the developers paying $500,000 for a two-acre parcel Reynolds owns valued at $21,000 by his office adjacent to Parks' property. He allegedly told them the property was needed for green space. When the developers refused to deal with him, "Reynolds made clear to a representative of the company that he would use his power to stop the development."
The AG's office obtained a third-degree felony indictment for bribery on this issue.
When the Journal-News asked how a person could be charged with bribery when no money changed hands, Yost replied:
"The definition of bribery is more than just, I hand cash to you, but I need to not ethically try this case in the court of public opinion, but in the court of law," Yost said. "So we will produce all the evidence; this has been a months long investigation about this, there's a lot more to come out."
Reynolds' attorney issued this statement after the indictments first came down:
"Mr. Reynolds has never solicited, accepted, or paid any bribes, and he has never used his position, authority, or influence to improperly benefit himself or anyone else. Mr. Reynolds has served the Butler County community with honor for the past 19 years, without even a hint of impropriety," the statement reads.
Reynolds has maintained he is the victim of a political witch hunt by the state to punish him for challenging a state-mandated property value hike.
