Former task force agents, deputy charged

PORT CLINTON — Two former Ottawa County Drug Task Force agents and a sheriff's deputy were recently indicted on felonies for alleged misconduct.Carl Rider, 55, of Port Clinton, was charged with unlawful transaction in weapons, theft in office and a misdemeanor count of falsification. Donald St. Clair, 50, of Oak Harbor, was charged with three counts of perjury.Rider was the commander of the drug task force until he resigned in May following an anonymous letter sent to Port Clinton police Chief Rob Hickman.The letter accused Rider of buying a firearm with his law enforcement discount and then selling it to his brother-in-law who lived out-of-state. He also allegedly drove a county vehicle to the gun store in Huron and made the purchase while on-duty.The letter was given to Ottawa County prosecutor James VanEerten, who requested a special prosecutor to investigate its claims. Margaret Tomaro with the Ohio Attorney General's Office was appointed.Rider resigned one day after being put on administrated leave. In June, St. Clair, a task force agent, resigned without giving a reason.But Steve Irwin, a spokesman for the Ohio Attorney General's Office, said St. Clair's indictment was for false statements allegedly made about evidence at a suppression hearing on Jan. 20, 2012.Ottawa County Sheriff's Deputy James Hanney Jr., 46, was also charged with two counts of perjury after he was accused of the same offense at the suppression hearing. Irwin couldn't provide any other details.Hanney is an 18-year-veteran of the sheriff's office. Following his indictment on Thursday, Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Levorchick said Hanney was immediately placed on administrative leave pending a pre-disciplinary hearing.Tomaro is prosecuting all three cases in the Ottawa County Common Pleas Court. Judge Bruce Winters has recused himself from the cases.The Ohio Supreme Court has yet to appoint a visiting judge, but all three men have a summons to appear in the court on Nov. 15 for their initial appearances.The Drug Task ForceThe task force is overseen by the prosecutor's office and is almost completely funded by grants. It previously consisted of Rider, St. Clair, agent Joel Barton and Trevor Johnson, who runs the Drug Addiction Response Team.After the anonymous letter, VanEerten hired an outside firm — Clemens, Nelson and Associates — to do an administrative review of the task force.Rider and St. Clair both resigned shortly after the review began. Barton received 30-days unpaid suspension after the firm found he knew Rider's conduct may be "illegal and/or unethical" and did not immediately report it.VanEerten has since hired Matt Gandee and Bill Marshall to the task force from the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office. Gandee, the new commander, and Marshall, a new agent, join Barton and Johnson.Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterThe Ottawa County Courthouse on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019.