Wood on five charges. Specifically, the letter states, Fitch lied about conducting an evidence inspection in 2016 and claimed he had a masters degree from a university that turned out to be a diploma mill. Submit it here. NELSONVILLE, Ohio Scott Fitch, former Nelsonville police chief and current Meigs County sheriff, was terminated from his position as special operations agent for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation in 2019 and its unclear if either the city or Meigs County knew about it. We will endeavor to persevere in the commissioners office., Sheriff Fitch issued the following statement, The Meigs County Sheriffs Office would like to ensure the citizens of Meigs County that the indictment of the former Sheriff will not affect the mission, goals, or daily operations of the Sheriffs Office. Will said that he has not investigated the termination further and is not concerned by any of the conduct that led to Fitchs dismissal from BCI. There were 17 violent and 217 property crimes in Meigs County in 2018. For Background checks, CCW's please contact: If you have a specific question for any of the office staff or for a deputy on a case ALREADY OPEN, the best way to reach that specific deputy is by email. The arbitration award found that Fitch should be reinstated to his previous position with back pay. The ultimate decision on whether to retain an appointed official to elected office lies with the voters in that community.. Meigs County Sheriff Department Warrants Division Cathy Howard was born in Meigs County and is a graduate of Meigs County High School. MEIGS COUNTY, Ohio (WCHS) Saying his health and family were his top priorities, Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood said he is resigning as sheriff effective Friday, Nov. 11. Meigs County Jail. Ohio Checkbook records indicate that Fitch was paid $145,522.16 as a BCI Special Agent in 2019, including over $55,500 in leave payouts. The county seat is Pomeroy. Meigs County Sheriff Scott Fitch would like to inform the public that they are still attempting to locate Michael Atkinson. Wood on charges related to his time in office. Meigs County is located in southeastern Ohio. The Independent obtained a copy of his cover letter for the position, in which Fitch stated that he had a master of arts in criminal justice administration. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. . Named after Jonathan Meigs a Colonel in the American Revolutionary War and home to roughly 13,000 residents. On the theft in office charge, Wood is alleged have deprived the county of $4,562 and knowingly obtained or exerted control over said property or services without the consent of Meigs County.. According to a statement from the Auditor of State Keith Fabers Office, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) began its investigation of Wood in August 2022, after receiving a complaint from Meigs County Prosecutor James Stanley about the potential misuse of money from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund. Justice signs campus carry bill, Citys Restaurant Week to help mental & physical health of first responders. The primary goal of the Meigs County Sheriff's Office is to protect and to serve its citizens. Sheriff's Sales. POMEROY, Ohio (WV News) Former Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood has been indicted by a coun. That is why the Meigs County Commissioners chose his replacement. Because of the actions noted above, your fitness for duty is severely reduced and your credibility could be attacked any time you testify in court, the letter states. You can bring new, unopened toys to any of our convenient drop off locations throughout the county or the Meigs County Sheriffs Office. Your Name (required) Your Email . These areas will be collecting any new unwrapped toys from now until December 14. . The Ohio Attorney Generals Office, which administers BCI, filed suit to overturn the arbitration award, arguing that the arbitrator issued an award without rational support. But in March 2022, a Franklin County judge found that the arbitrator had not exceeded his authority and upheld the decision. Most of the interactions were Fitchs reactions to others posts. With the help of the citizens of Meigs County this program has become a huge success and countless number of children have something to look forward to on Christmas day. Meigs County Sheriff Scott Fitch issued a special news release stating that on February 17, 2023 a tip was received as to the whereabouts of Michael Atkinson. You can bring new, unopened toys to any of our convenient drop off locations throughout the county. Toys and games are needed for all ages from infants through teenage boys and girls as well as stocking stuffer type toys. We are committed to serving the citizens with the highest level of service and will continue to make Meigs County safer and a great place to live.. The Meigs County Sheriffs Department is committed to protect the lives, property and rights of all people, to maintain order and to enforce the laws. However, because Wood tendered his resignation last week, state law says the county commission can appoint a sheriff for the remainder of his term which is two years, one month and two weeks. It is not clear whether the city of Nelsonville knew about Fitchs 2019 termination from the BCI when he was hired as police chief or during his tenure. Faber's office said tips related to fraudulent use of public funds can be submitted anonymously online or . The victim was shot in the left leg, severing his femoral artery. Meigs County Board of Commissioner President Jimmy Will responded to the indictment with this statement, Im not surprised, its just a really disappointing time for our county. The release said SIU confirmed that Wood used ATMs to withdraw cash from the fund at different locations in Ohio and West Virginia and that an arraignment for Wood in Meigs County Common Pleas Court will be set at a later date. However, we stand before you 23,000 residents of this great county to appoint a sheriff until a sheriff is duly elected.. Meigs County Sheriff Jackie Melton told us on the phone shortly after the storm passed that the majority of damage is in the area of Sharp Road and Highway 58, south of Decatur. He brought on a duel-purpose K-9 and upgraded one of his officers to a K-9 handler this year, thanks to community donations and grant funding. Don't knowingly lie about anyone One comment joked about shooting Muslims and another used a slur for Muslims. Chief Wood would like to thank the Major Crimes Task Force, the Meigs County Sheriffs Office, the Pomeroy Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department and Meigs County EMS for their assistance. The Meigs County Sheriffs Office would like to ensure the citizens of Meis County that the indictment of the former Sheriff will not affect the mission, goals, or daily operations of the Sheriffs Office. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated this matter. Little Fish Brewing Company, 8675 Armitage Road, Athens, Eclipse Company Store, 11309 Jackson Dr., The Plains, View all posts by Sam Stecklow and Dani Kington , Committee: Heres how to fix Athens sidewalks, Chauncey Village Council seeks to fill vacant seat, Ex-director charged with stealing $1.5M from Athens housing authority, Nelsonville council member Doug Childs resigns, WORLD MOVIE MARCH: New movies from around the globe opening every week of March, BEST IN SHOW: Fundraiser for Friends of the Shelter Dogs. POMEROY The Meigs County Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed Scott Fitch as the new sheriff on Thursday during its meeting. Signup today! KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK)- The Kanawha County Sheriff's Office is commending the actions of a deputy that saved a man's life on Tuesday after a shooting in Kanawha County. "I have made the . Tammy L. Quillen, 60, of Long Bottom, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree. The Meigs County Sheriff's Office will continue to be fully transparent and cooperate with the Ohio Auditors Office and assist them in any way with their investigation. PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - A former sheriff of Meigs County has been indicted on multiple charges. The Meigs County Sheriffs Office investigated this matter. MEIGS COUNTY, OH (WOWK) - A special judge has been chosen to preside over the court proceedings for a former sheriff accused of theft in office in Meigs County, Ohio. When told Fitch acknowledged making the posts to BCI investigators, Will declined to comment further. Shortly thereafter, he gave her another copy of the form that listed specific items in the vault as were inspected. The technician was extremely uncomfortable with doing this because she knew the evidence inspection was never performed, a BCI investigator wrote in a report. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. When former Sheriff Keith Wood announced his resignation Nov. 8 with has last day being Nov. 11, he cited health and family reasons for his departure. Dan Tierney, press secretary for Ohio Gov. WTAP-TV reported that Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood said that one person was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Serving Meigs County, TN. The Meigs County Sheriffs Office investigated this matter. The motion to hire Fitch was unanimously approved. Since Sheriff Jackie Melton took office in 2010 and started the toy drive, with the generous help of the county, approximately 750 children in Meigs County have been able to have a Merry Christmas, and our goal this year is to see that number continue to grow. I look forward to serving my home county.. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Donald W. Shaffer, 46, of Pomeroy, Ohio, was indicted for Gross Sexual Imposition, a felony of the fourth degree. Fitch is a lifelong resident of Meigs County and graduated from Eastern Local High School in Meigs in 1991. With a population of 1,966 people, Pomeroy was the . Many of the comments targeted Muslims. MEIGS COUNTY, OH (WOWK) - A special judge has been chosen to preside over the court proceedings for a former sheriff accused of theft in office in Meigs County, Ohio. Copyright 2023 WTAP. The Meigs County Sheriffs Office reserves the right to set minimum bids on all items auctioned. Ohio Department of Natural Resources. New Straitsville Police Department. Your giftsalong with grant supportkeep us going through our startup phase. PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - A former sheriff of Meigs County has been indicted on multiple charges. Served in Law Enforcement in Meigs County since 1975, Deputy Sheriff (6 years), Decatur Police Chief (29 years), Meigs County Sheriff (2010 present). Meigs County, TN, known as "The Shoreline County" was established in the year 1836. Im excited to meet the staff and begin working immediately to start making positive impacts for the county. Fitch, who worked for BCI for 19 years, successfully appealed his termination on procedural grounds. The meme asks why one is considered blasphemous while the other is as wholesome as apple pie. Fitch responded, One is fat and one is hot., In other recent posts, Fitch referred to NBA player Draymond Green as a thug, castigated Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and Athens High School alum Joe Burrow for supporting gun control, and commented FJB (shorthand for Fuck Joe Biden) under a post reporting that an undocumented immigrant received a sentence of life imprisonment for murdering four Americans., Asked about Fitchs comments that were investigated by the Ohio BCI, Will said, Im not trying to be mean I really dont care.. Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition and we will work with our sheriff to find creative solutions to improving our law enforcement across the county. Read more. According to a recent court filing, Meigs County Common Pleas Judge Linda Warner voluntarily recused herself due to a potential conflict of interest in the case against former Meigs County, Ohio Sheriff Keith Wood. annual toy drive is now underway. Kayla D. King, 31, of Rutland, Ohio, was indicted for Theft, a felony of the fourth degree, and Resisting Arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor. Will said if the sheriff had resigned 45 days before the Nov. 8 election, there would have been an election for the unexpired term so as to give the voters their choice of candidate. The Meigs County Sheriffs Office investigated this matter. The auctionends on Tuesday 3/25/14. According to the indictment from the Meigs County Common Pleas Court, Wood has been indicted on five counts of theft while in office, a 4th degree felony; misuse of credit cards, a 5th degree felony; misuse of credit cards, a 1st degree . Athens County is no exception. Please forward all questions or concerns to the Ohio Auditors Office.Sheriff Scott Fitch, Meigs County Commissioner Jimmy Will stated Im not surprised, its just a really disappointing time for our county. Content warning: This section quotes inflammatory social media posts which some readers may find offensive. Fitch told the BCI during that investigation that he hadnt been aware there was an issue with his degree until it was brought up by a special agent who he believed was angling for his demotion., Fitch told investigators he mentioned the masters degree on his application because a supervisor had told him it was the offices job to judge the credibility of the degree. He said he never attended classes or took exams, but only filled out forms regarding his life experiences and paid a fee (amount unknown).. The request was sent to Frank, the citys administrative email address, the chief of police email address and the city council president. With the help of the citizens of Meigs County this program has become a huge success and a countless number of children have something to look forward to on Christmas day. Local news is disappearing. Welcome to the Meigs County Sheriff's Office Website. The primary incident that prompted the BCIs investigation into and termination of Fitch occurred in 2016, when Fitch was working as a supervisor in the BCIs Athens field office. Fitch has been a morale boost to Meigs County, Will said, noting that the county did not have a real active and present sheriff previously., I know our county is better off now, Will said. Michael R. Atkinson, 41, of Coolville, Ohio, is accused of entering the residence . The scene was secured at that time and the Meigs County Sheriffs Office, Meigs County EMS, Pomeroy PD, and Agents with the Major Crimes Task Force responded to the scene. Tommy N. Lane, 50, of Middleport, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree. This is 287.74% higher than the national average of 739.02 per 100,000 people. To search for an inmate in the Meigs County Jail & Sheriff, find out their criminal charges, the amount of their bond, when they can get visits or even view their mugshot, go to the official Inmate Search Jail Roster, or call the jail at (423) 334-3163 for the information you are looking for. MEIGS COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - An elderly man that family members say has PTSD and is in the early stages of dementia has been reported missing to the Meigs County Sheriff's Office. POMEROY The Meigs County Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed Scott Fitch as the new sheriff on Thursday during its meeting. The Meigs County Sheriffs Office will continue to be fully transparent and cooperate with the Ohio Auditors Office and assist them in anyway with their investigation. Be Nice. We have had very well-qualified candidates and this has been a difficult decision, he said. 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