Suspended Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen rejects final plea deal, trial to start Tuesday

Nancy Molnar, The Times-Reporter
·3 min read

NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ Suspended Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen rejected a final plea offer Monday by a special prosecutor, clearing the way for jury selection to start Tuesday morning for his criminal trial.

Special Prosecutor Robert F. Smith, of the Ohio Auditor's Office, made the offer at Monday's final pretrial conference. Smith declined to disclose its terms to The Times-Reporter. A court bailiff said the document describing the offer was unavailable.

More:Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen was offered plea deal before indictment

Defense attorney Mark R. DeVan said his client rejected the plea offer.

"My client is adamant that he did not do anything criminal in this matter. He is aware of the offer. He wants his trial and that's what we'll do," DeVan said.

More:Five things to know about the trial of suspended Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen

Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos said she hopes a jury can be selected Tuesday.

Homrighausen has pleaded not guilty to charges of theft in office, four counts of soliciting improper compensation, two counts of dereliction of duty, having an unlawful interest in a public contract and representation by a public official.

He declined to accept a plea deal offered by the special prosecutor in December, prior to his indictment in March.

In a Dec. 2 memo to Homrighausen attorney DeVan, special prosecutor Smith referred to an Ohio Ethics Commission investigation into "potential criminal issues" related to Homrighausen's conduct. He wrote that the state was willing to resolve the matter if the mayor would:

  • Resign from office immediately.

  • Agree not to run for election for mayor or any other elected public office.

  • Plead guilty to one county of dereliction of duty, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a maximum $750 fine.

  • If Homrighausen were to accept those terms, Smith wrote, "The State of Ohio will not pursue any other criminal charges against Mayor Homrighausen related to his performance as Mayor of the City of Dover."

At present, seven of the criminal charges against Homrighausen, 74, relate to the collection of fees for officiating at weddings. The theft-in-office charge alleges that he pocketed $9,295 for some 270 ceremonies.

The charges of soliciting improper compensation involve accusations that Homrighausen took money for performing four weddings.

Both dereliction of duty charges allege that Homrighausen failed to turn over wedding fees to the city treasury between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 4, 2021.

The charge of having an unlawful interest in a public contract relates to his involvement, from Nov. 1, 2012, to March 4, 2013, in the city's hiring of his son, Peter.

The charge of representation by a public official arises from Homrighausen participating in, and ruling on, an overtime grievance filed by the same son, then a city light plant employee, on Feb. 21, 2016.

Homrighausen was originally indicted on 15 criminal counts. The special prosecutor dropped six tax charges in July.

More:Tax charges against suspended Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen dismissed

Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.

On Twitter: @nmolnarTR

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Suspended Mayor Homrighausen rejects final plea offer in criminal case