Retired Dayton police sergeant starts prison term in child pornography case

Jen Balduf, Dayton Daily News, Ohio
·2 min read

Dec. 12—A retired Dayton police sergeant who later worked as a special deputy in Brown County and was an investigator for the Ohio Lottery Commission is now in prison following his conviction last month in a child pornography case.

Dennis K. Chaney, 70, of Dayton pleaded guilty Nov. 30 in Brown County Common Pleas Court to two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material or performance.

Judge Scott Gusweiler immediately sentenced him to two to three years for the first count and two years for the second count, to be served consecutively for a total of four to five years in prison, according to sentencing documents.

As part of his plea, three additional counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material or performance and five counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor were dismissed.

Chaney on Monday entered the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction. He is expected to be assigned to a different prison to serve out his sentence.

The Brown County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation after receiving a tip on Dec. 19, 2022, that Chaney, a Georgetown resident at the time, "had transferred images and videos consistent with possible child pornography," according to a statement from Brown County Sheriff Gordon Ellis.

Chaney earlier this year resigned from the Ohio Lottery Commission and worked as a special deputy with the sheriff's office in Brown County from September 2011 through December 2013.

Before that, he had a 36-year career with the Dayton Police Department beginning in 1973 until his retirement as a sergeant in 2009, according to Chaney's LinkedIn social media account.

Dayton police spokesman James Rider confirmed Chaney retired in January 2009.

In addition to his prison sentence, Chaney was designated a Tier II sex offender, which requires him to register his address every six months for 25 years, once released.

He also will be on parole for five years, according to sentencing records.