Latest news with #Creech
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Area lawmaker gave $4K to county prosecutor accused of turning away sexual misconduct allegations
May 30—Five months after then-Preble County Prosecutor Martin Votel was credited by the county sheriff with turning away allegations of sexual imposition against state Rep. Rodney Creech, Creech made a substantial donation to the prosecutor's campaign for county judge. An eventual state investigation into the allegations involving Creech and a teenage minor female produced no charges, but a special prosecutor over the case called Creech's behavior "concerning and suspicious." Creech, a third-term Republican lawmaker from West Alexandria, says the state probe cleared him of any wrongdoing. Votel, who was elected Preble County Common Pleas Court judge in November, disputes Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson's characterization of Votel's involvement in the case. Votel told this outlet that he sees no concerns with accepting Creech's donation. "I did not then, and do not now, feel that my campaign's acceptance of these contributions was unethical or inappropriate," Votel wrote in a statement. "Any/all allegations are, to my knowledge, presently and wholly unsubstantiated." Creech was removed from his committee posts in the Ohio House and was asked by leadership to resign once the investigation surfaced this month. He has framed the surfacing of the investigation as a "political hit job." Creech currently represents Preble and parts of Montgomery and Butler counties in the Ohio House. As the allegations against him were about to be published, he announced a run for Ohio Senate. Sheriff, prosecutor disagree In July 2023, an allegation that Creech acted inappropriately with a minor teenage female was brought directly to Sheriff Simpson by the minor's stepfather — an Ohio police chief. In the time since, Simpson has seemingly told two different stories of his initial phone call with the minor's stepfather, though both of Simpson's stories end with Votel turning down the allegations in one way or another. According to a state investigative record summarizing a November 2023 conversation between Simpson and a state special agent, Simpson relayed that the stepfather felt he had to report the alleged incident as a mandatory reporter under state law. From there, Simpson relayed that he received text messages that outlined Creech's alleged May 2023 conduct, which he then took to Votel for his opinion. The state's lead investigator on the case after meeting with Simpson wrote: "Simpson said Mr. Votel indicated there was no criminal complaint at that time. No report or other action took place from the sheriff's office." The alleged victim's mother called Simpson's handling of the case "an absolute dereliction of duty by a public official," according to state records. To the Dayton Daily News, Simpson said the stepfather had not actually tried to report the alleged incident. Instead, Simpson said the stepfather asked whether he had to report the potential crime under the state's mandatory reporter laws. In that version of the story, Simpson said he brought the question to Votel and Votel advised that the stepfather was not a mandatory reporter in this instance. In a statement to this news outlet, Votel seemingly denied both versions of Simpson's story. "There was never a question presented to me about mandatory reporters," wrote Votel. "...Further, the office did not and would not either encourage or discourage an investigation — the role of the prosecuting attorney is to consult with law enforcement when called upon, and to make criminal charging decisions based upon submitted law enforcement reports." It's unclear what Votel's actual involvement, if any, was in Preble County's initial handling of the allegations. Votel did not respond to a request for interview before publication. Both Simpson and Votel — personal friends of Creech — recused themselves from the eventual investigation into the allegations that came months later after it was reported in Montgomery County in September 2023. The donation Creech routed $4,100 from his own campaign to Votel's bid for the Preble County Court of Common Pleas on Dec. 19, 2023. Creech was Votel's first and largest donor — his donation accounted for roughly 75% of the financial support Votel received. It was also the sole donation Creech's campaign has given to Votel dating back to at least mid-2019, according to a Dayton Daily News analysis of state campaign finance data. And it's the fourth-largest expenditure Creech has made to an individual candidate in that same time frame, according to state records. In a statement to this outlet, Creech denied any connection between the donations and Votel's reported involvement in fielding the allegations. "Marty Votel is a tremendous public servant, and I am proud to know him," Creech wrote. "Though our friendship goes back nearly 15 years, I have donated to his campaign once — the first time Marty has run a contested race since I've known him." "Unfortunately, the simple act of one conservative supporting another is now some sort of scandal in the media. There is literally nothing more to this supposed story, and I will continue to support strong conservatives in Preble County and throughout the State of Ohio." Votel had two elections to win in order to become judge: A contested March 2024 Republican primary and an uncontested November 2024 general election. He won the primary with 70% of the vote and won unopposed in November. Votel also donated $100 to Creech's re-election campaign in September 2024. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Massive Bear Plummets Through Kentucky Home's Ceiling and Ends Up on the Kitchen Stove
On May 21, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement responded to a call about a black bear inside a home's kitchen Authorities found the large bear curled up on the home's stove when they arrived The agency believes the bear ended up in the kitchen after falling through the ceiling aboveA wild bear in Kentucky unexpectedly moved from the outdoors to the middle of a person's kitchen. According to a May 25 Facebook post from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement, the agency responded to a report of a black bear inside a residence around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21. When game warden Derick Creech arrived on the scene and stepped inside the home, he found the bear sitting nonchalantly on top of the stove in the kitchen. The sight was a surprise to officials, who aren't unfamiliar with bear encounters, but are new to finding bears making themselves comfortable on top of the oven. "After taking a look around, it was determined that the bear had climbed up a ladder outside and squeezed through an opening into the attic," the post from the agency read. "The bear then fell through the ceiling into the residence below." Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement posted photographic evidence of the unusual moment on Facebook. One photo shared by the agency shows a large hole in the home's ceiling, and another shows the bear bent under a cabinet to sit on top of the stove. According to the post, Creech enlisted the help of a deputy from the Bell County Sheriff's Office, and the two officials ran "the bear out through an open door." According to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife site, black bears will occasionally be found around houses or other "human dwellings," where they seek out food attractants like trash or food for domestic pets. Black bears generally avoid people unless they've become used to accessing human food. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "The best thing to do is identify the attractant and remove the source. Bears will move on after realizing there is no food to be obtained," the site shared on how to avoid bear encounters. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Bear falls through ceiling of Kentucky home after climbing ladder, squeezing into attic
BELL COUNTY, Ky. – A family in Kentucky received an unusual wake-up call last week after a bear came crashing through the ceiling of their home and landed inside the kitchen. There's something you don't see every day. How To Watch Fox Weather According to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement, Game Warden Derick Creech responded to reports of a black bear inside the Bell County home around 5 a.m. on May 21. When he arrived, he found the animal sitting on the stove inside the kitchen. Creech and a Bell County Sheriff's Deputy were eventually able to run the bear out of the home through an open door. Download The Free Fox Weather App After they took a look around outdoors, it was determined that the bear was able to climb a ladder and squeeze through an opening into the attic. Then, at some point, the bear came crashing through the ceiling. No injuries were article source: Bear falls through ceiling of Kentucky home after climbing ladder, squeezing into attic
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local GOP leader backed state rep after calling sexual misconduct claim 'disgusting'
May 22—Local Republican leaders continued to support the reelection campaign of state Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, in November despite having knowledge of a criminal investigation into alleged sexual misconduct. Creech has denied the allegation against him. A special prosecutor in October 2024 opted not to charge the lawmaker — whose district includes Preble and parts of Montgomery and Butler counties — but noted that he found Creech's behavior to be "concerning and suspicious." As part of the investigation, state Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp. was interviewed by state investigators in February 2024. The interview revolved around a conversation the two had in which Plummer found Creech to be making light of the allegations he was facing from a teenage minor female. "So, to me, that's disgusting and uncalled for," Plummer told state investigators. "I'm not sure if it's a total criminal element here, but it's uncalled for. I mean, as a father myself, I think it's just appalling. Those are the statements he made directly to me." Plummer, who chairs the Montgomery County Republican Party, still included Creech on his party's slate endorsement card months after his cooperation with state investigators. Creech won with 77% of the vote. Before that, Creech ran unopposed in the March 2024 primary. Creech, having noted that Plummer might be a potential opponent in a 2026 Republican primary to replace term-limited Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, has chalked up the ordeal as a "political hit job." "He wants to say this is all political. Well, it's not political and that's a very good reason to show people it's not political, because I included him on the slate card and that's my decision as a party chairman," Plummer said when this outlet asked him to explain why the party still supported Creech but not Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley, who is facing criminal charges. "I could have kept (Creech) off, but, you know, I decided to put him on. I did keep Mike Foley off because he did have a nine-count indictment," Plummer said. Creech has since threatened legal actions against Plummer, who said he received directive from Creech's attorney to maintain all his communications in case of a lawsuit. When the criminal investigation became public this month, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman said he had asked Creech to resign from the Ohio House. Huffman used his power to remove Creech from all of his committees. While Plummer had no position in House leadership when he participated in the investigation, today he's third-in-command under Huffman. Huffman says he only learned about the Creech investigation and Plummer's role in it when the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation informed him they were about to release it to the media — the Dayton Daily News had requested a copy of it using Ohio public records laws. 'Failure of leadership' Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman Mohamed Al-Hamdani frames the delay of any political sanctions against Creech as a "failure of leadership." "The allegations against Rodney Creech are deeply disturbing," Hamdani told this news outlet. "What is equally disturbing is that some leaders within the Republican Party have known about these allegations for over a year and chose to remain silent." "Ohioans deserve leaders who will do what's right, who will protect our children, and who will hold their fellow lawmakers accountable for their actions," Al-Hamdani said, calling for Creech to resign. Other prominent Republicans with at least some knowledge of the allegations include Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Yost's office oversees BCI and shared the investigation with Huffman only after it was about to become public. Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson and Prosecutor Martin Votel had some knowledge of the allegations in 2023. The alleged victim's stepfather contacted Simpson in July 2023. Simpson says the alleged victim's stepfather — an Ohio police chief — reached out to him to ask if the chief was required to report possible inappropriate behavior involving Creech he learned about through a family discussion. Simpson says he took the issue to Votel, who advised them that it didn't have to be reported. Simpson says he didn't open an investigation or make any documentation of what he was told, and doesn't remember what specific information he was told about the allegations. Votel has not returned requests for comment on why he reportedly advised the sheriff and police chief the allegation did not need to be reported for criminal investigation, despite the stepfather being a mandated reporter. Votel donated $100 to Creech's campaign in September 2024. Votel was elected in November as a Preble County Common Pleas Court judge. The state got involved in the investigation on Nov. 8, 2023 after Simpson and Votel recused themselves from the case after it was brought to them after being reported in Montgomery County in September. Another local Republican who would have known about the allegation and investigation is Preble County Recorder Jeanne Creech, who is the state lawmakers' wife.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local GOP leader backed state rep after calling sexual misconduct claim 'disgusting'
May 22—Local Republican leaders continued to support the reelection campaign of state Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, in November despite having knowledge of a criminal investigation into alleged sexual misconduct. Creech has denied the allegation against him. A special prosecutor in October 2024 opted not to charge the lawmaker — whose district includes Preble and parts of Montgomery and Butler counties — but noted that he found Creech's behavior to be "concerning and suspicious." As part of the investigation, state Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp. was interviewed by state investigators in February 2024. The interview revolved around a conversation the two had in which Plummer found Creech to be making light of the allegations he was facing from a teenage minor female. "So, to me, that's disgusting and uncalled for," Plummer told state investigators. "I'm not sure if it's a total criminal element here, but it's uncalled for. I mean, as a father myself, I think it's just appalling. Those are the statements he made directly to me." Plummer, who chairs the Montgomery County Republican Party, still included Creech on his party's slate endorsement card months after his cooperation with state investigators. Creech won with 77% of the vote. Before that, Creech ran unopposed in the March 2024 primary. Creech, having noted that Plummer might be a potential opponent in a 2026 Republican primary to replace term-limited Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, has chalked up the ordeal as a "political hit job." "He wants to say this is all political. Well, it's not political and that's a very good reason to show people it's not political, because I included him on the slate card and that's my decision as a party chairman," Plummer said when this outlet asked him to explain why the party still supported Creech but not Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley, who is facing criminal charges. "I could have kept (Creech) off, but, you know, I decided to put him on. I did keep Mike Foley off because he did have a nine-count indictment," Plummer said. Creech has since threatened legal actions against Plummer, who said he received directive from Creech's attorney to maintain all his communications in case of a lawsuit. When the criminal investigation became public this month, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman said he had asked Creech to resign from the Ohio House. Huffman used his power to remove Creech from all of his committees. While Plummer had no position in House leadership when he participated in the investigation, today he's third-in-command under Huffman. Huffman says he only learned about the Creech investigation and Plummer's role in it when the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation informed him they were about to release it to the media — the Dayton Daily News had requested a copy of it using Ohio public records laws. 'Failure of leadership' Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman Mohamed Al-Hamdani frames the delay of any political sanctions against Creech as a "failure of leadership." "The allegations against Rodney Creech are deeply disturbing," Hamdani told this news outlet. "What is equally disturbing is that some leaders within the Republican Party have known about these allegations for over a year and chose to remain silent." "Ohioans deserve leaders who will do what's right, who will protect our children, and who will hold their fellow lawmakers accountable for their actions," Al-Hamdani said, calling for Creech to resign. Other prominent Republicans with at least some knowledge of the allegations include Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Yost's office oversees BCI and shared the investigation with Huffman only after it was about to become public. Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson and Prosecutor Martin Votel had some knowledge of the allegations in 2023. The alleged victim's stepfather contacted Simpson in July 2023. Simpson says the alleged victim's stepfather — an Ohio police chief — reached out to him to ask if the chief was required to report possible inappropriate behavior involving Creech he learned about through a family discussion. Simpson says he took the issue to Votel, who advised them that it didn't have to be reported. Simpson says he didn't open an investigation or make any documentation of what he was told, and doesn't remember what specific information he was told about the allegations. Votel has not returned requests for comment on why he reportedly advised the sheriff and police chief the allegation did not need to be reported for criminal investigation, despite the stepfather being a mandated reporter. Votel donated $100 to Creech's campaign in September 2024. Votel was elected in November as a Preble County Common Pleas Court judge. The state got involved in the investigation on Nov. 8, 2023 after Simpson and Votel recused themselves from the case after it was brought to them after being reported in Montgomery County in September. Another local Republican who would have known about the allegation and investigation is Preble County Recorder Jeanne Creech, who is the state lawmakers' wife.
