Putnam County jailer faces likely dismissal for lying to superiors

J Swygart, The Lima News, Ohio
·2 min read

Mar. 21—OTTAWA — A corrections officer with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office likely will be dismissed after being untruthful with his superiors following a traffic accident on icy roads last month.

Travis Oatman, 50, of Cairo, was convicted March 3 following his pleas of no contest in Putnam County Municipal Court to charges of falsification, a misdemeanor of the first degree, and obstructing official business, a misdemeanor of the second degree. He entered pleas of no contest and was found guilty of both charges on March 3. Oatman was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 150 days suspended, and was ordered to serve 12 months on probation. He is scheduled to report to jail at 7 a.m. on March 24.

Oatman was also fined $50 on a charge of failure to control.

The charges stem from an incident on Feb. 21 when a vehicle registered to Oatman, a correctional officer at the Putnam County jail, was found abandoned in a ditch outside Columbus Grove. When asked about his vehicle being in a ditch, Oatman reportedly told investigators his vehicle had been stolen.

He later recanted his story, admitting that he had left the VFW post on the day in question and was driving home when he wrecked his vehicle. He reportedly fled the scene of the accident and then lied to the deputies who questioned him regarding the situation.

Putnam County Sheriff Brian Siefker said Monday that Oatman's employment with the sheriff's office had not yet been terminated but could be in the near future.

"He was a real good worker, but unfortunately he made a bad choice," Siefker said. "He was dishonest at first, then he was truthful about what happened. I told him he should have just been straight with us right up front."

Siefker said Oatman was suspended five days without pay and was issued a "last chance agreement" as a final warning short of dismissal. Oatman was in municipal court on Monday seeking work release privileges while serving his 30-day jail sentence. A court employee said no journal entry had yet been filed on that request Monday afternoon.

Siefker said he anticipated that Oatman would be fired but stopped short of making that decision official on Monday.

"I think I know which way I'm going to go. I don't think I have much of a choice," Siefker said.