COLUMBUS, Ohio — A former Meigs County Sheriff, Keith Wood, has been indicted on five counts by a grand jury in Meigs County. The indictment was handed down on Wednesday, following allegations that Wood withdrew public funds for personal use. The indictment includes charges of theft in office, telecommunications fraud, misuse of credit cards, and two counts of soliciting or accepting improper compensation.
The investigation into Wood was initiated in August 2022, after the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) received a complaint from Meigs County Prosecutor James Stanley regarding the potential misuse of money from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund. The investigation confirmed that Wood used ATMs to withdraw cash from the fund at various locations in Ohio and West Virginia.
Auditor of State Keith Faber made a statement regarding the indictment, “The misuse of public funds will not be tolerated, and those who are found to have committed such acts will be held accountable. We will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used appropriately.”
Wood was elected in 2012 but resigned in November of last year after the investigation into his alleged actions was launched.
His arraignment in Meigs County Common Pleas Court will be set at a later date.
