JACKSON COUNTY, Ohio — Former Jackson County Sheriff’s Office employee, Cheryl Brady, was sentenced to 36 months in prison on February 24 for stealing approximately $38,000 in fees paid by residents seeking concealed handgun licenses. The sentencing was announced by Auditor of State Keith Faber.
Brady, who pleaded guilty to theft in office in December, was sentenced in Jackson County Common Pleas Court. Her sentence included a restitution payment of $37,964, along with $7,728.50 in audit costs. Additionally, Brady has been permanently barred from holding public office.
The case was brought to the attention of the Auditor of State’s Office by Jackson County Sheriff Tedd E. Frazier in October 2019. An internal review uncovered discrepancies in deposits of permit fees, which prompted the joint investigation by the Auditor’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
During the investigation, it was determined that Brady had been keeping cash payments made to the Sheriff’s Office. SIU calculated that at least $37,964 was taken between November 2018 and October 2019.
Brady was indicted in May 2021, and SIU attorneys were appointed by the Jackson County Prosecutor to prosecute the case. Earlier this year, Brady’s initial pre-trial bond was revoked after she failed a drug test.