LOGAN, Ohio — Hocking County Commissioner Jessica Dicken faces seven criminal counts following an indictment over alleged misuse of funds from the Hocking County Agricultural Society, inclusive of the county fair board, during her tenure as its secretary. The indictment was announced on Friday, validating the claims made against Dicken last month by local resident Sheri Young.
Young had twice last month voiced her concerns during the county commissioners’ weekly meeting, urging for Dicken’s resignation. Initially, she accused Dicken of an ethical violation without providing specific details. In her subsequent appearance, Young alleged that Dicken diverted county fair board funds to support her pre-primary campaign for her current position when she served as the fair board secretary.
On Friday, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office revealed that a Hocking County grand jury has returned a seven-count indictment against Dicken, linked to over $19,000 in fraudulent credit card expenditures. According to the release, Dicken faces felony charges of telecommunications fraud, money laundering, theft, and election falsification along with a misdemeanor charge of soliciting or accepting improper compensation.
The Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) initiated an investigation following a complaint concerning fraudulent usage of the Hocking County Agricultural Society’s credit card. The SIU found Dicken had incurred $19,084 in fraudulent charges using the society’s credit cards for varied purposes including financing her 2022 campaign for Hocking County commissioner, covering rental vehicle expenses during a family vacation to Florida, among other purchases.
The indictment was registered in Hocking County Common Pleas Court on Friday as per the auditor, with the arraignment set for Oct. 12. The SIU will act as the special prosecutor for this case.
Before Young’s allegations, there were already whispers regarding potential misappropriation of fair board funds. In a March 2022 commission meeting, then-Commissioner Jeff Dickerson hinted, in Dicken’s presence as the fair board secretary, at a possible shortfall of around $140,000 in the fair board’s budget. Dicken denied knowledge of such a deficit, a claim supported by fair board members who criticized Dickerson for the damaging public accusation without substantiating evidence. Although Hocking County Prosecutor Ryan Black was requested to investigate, there’s no indication that this episode had any ties to Dicken’s recent indictment.