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A Mad River Twp. trustee has been indicted on charges of theft in office and forgery, but his attorney said documents and witnesses will prove his innocence.
An indictment filed in Champaign County Common Pleas Court shows Brad K. Zerkle, of 590 Neal Road, was indicted on two counts of theft in office and one count of forgery. Zerkle is a Mad River Twp. trustee whose term is scheduled to expire at the end of this year.
His indictment shows one of the theft charges involves gasoline owned by the township, while the other theft charge was related to a reimbursement to the township for medical insurance. The forgery charge involved proof of insurance.
The case has been under investigation for months, and an attorney from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office was called to assist, said Kevin Talebi, Champaign County prosecutor. Talebi said the case was under investigation before he took office this year, and the state will handle the prosecution.
He declined to disclose further details of the case.
Reached by phone, Zerkle said he is innocent and referred requests for more information to his lawyer, John Paul Rion.
Rion said the township has a gas tank that many township staff members have access to, but said Zerkle never improperly took gas. He added he will present evidence that the tank wasn’t well maintained and showed incorrect readings.
The insurance charge, Rion said, is a dispute over reimbursements to the township over medical insurance.
Rion said they will take the case to trial if the charges aren’t dismissed.
“In the clearest of terms, Brad Zerkle is innocent,” Rion said. “Brad Zerkle did not violate any law. Brad Zerkle upheld the trust of the township and his position. We intend to present documents and evidence that the allegations are completely without merit and are the result of a miscommunication or a calculated attempt by certain individuals to discredit a good man.”
Mad River Twp. officials declined to discuss the investigation Wednesday.
Officials from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office declined comment but confirmed that the state is involved in the case. Zerkle is scheduled to face a hearing in Champaign County Common Pleas Court on April 17.
Rion said there won’t be a plea agreement in the case.
“There will definitely be a trial unless they dismiss all charges,” Rion said. “There’s no middle ground here.”
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