WAVERLY, Ohio — The elected Auditor of Pike County was indicted on Friday on allegations that she misused a county credit card for personal use and also increased her personal salary.
Kayla N. Slusher, 34, was charged with three felony counts of theft and a misdemeanor count of misuse of a credit card.
Slusher is accused of abusing her position to pay herself more salary than she was lawfully permitted, and using county resources and a county credit card to pay for her personal expenses. The Special Investigations Unit of the State Auditor’s office (SIU) investigated the matter after receiving information from a confidential source. Slusher is accused of stealing approximately $2,600.
“Our professional investigators continue to be some of the best in the country and I am proud of the work they do on behalf of Ohio’s taxpayers,” said Ohio Auditor Keith Faber. “In 2021 alone our SIU team uncovered millions of dollars in stolen and illegally spent taxpayer funds.”
The thefts reportedly occurred between December 2020 and June 2021.
Slusher has been in the news lately after she was charged in Ross County on several counts stemming from a fight last month with her ex-boyfriend. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
In December, Slusher announced she would not seek re-election this year when her term expired.
Following the indictment, the prosecutors will file a request with the Ohio Supreme Court to initiate proceedings to suspend the Pike County Auditor from office pending the outcome of the criminal case. Attorneys in Keith Faber’s Special Investigations Unit were appointed as special prosecutors and will prosecute the case.
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