LOGAN, Ohio — On Wednesday, the public learned more about the reasonings behind the ousting of the Hocking County Prosecutor.
Ryan Richard Black, Esq., the Hocking County Prosecutor, has announced his resignation, effective April 19th. However, this resignation comes under duress, as it was forced by the local Republican party following threats of legal action to remove him if he did not leave peacefully.
The tumultuous departure of Black follows a string of controversies, including a federal lawsuit filed by two former employees alleging sexual harassment and a toxic work environment. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Ohio’s disciplinary counsel officially filed a complaint against Black, seeking the revocation of his law license.
Black is accused of having two employees out-of-state on the county payroll; at least one of them, Olen Martin, collected thousands of dollars for more than six months without doing any work while Martin held another job in South Carolina.
The highlights of the complaint include:
- Text messages exchanged between a former female employee and Black indicate a pattern of inappropriate behavior.
- Black disclosed personal medical information to employees relating to his mental health.
- An exchange of text messages indicates a flirtatious and potentially inappropriate relationship between Back and employees.
- Black sent a female employee shirtless photographs of himself on multiple occasions.
- Text messages also suggest plans for sexual encounters and discussions about sexual activity between Black and a female employee.
- The complaint details instances where Black and a female employee engaged in sexual intercourse at Black’s house.
- Black’s conduct escalated to the point where the female employee felt pressured and eventually forced out of her job at the Prosecutor’s office.
- The complaint alleges violations of professional conduct rules regarding inappropriate relationships with clients, misuse of public office, and conduct reflecting adversely on Black’s fitness to practice law.
The complaint paints a disturbing picture of Black’s behavior within the Hocking County Prosecutor’s Office. It alleges that Black routinely subjected staff members to obscene language, creating an uncomfortable and volatile atmosphere. Additionally, Black’s erratic behavior, including screaming outbursts and prolonged periods of silence, instilled fear among employees. Employees said it was made more concerning that Black kept a gun in his office.
The complaint outlines instances of inappropriate sexual conduct towards employees, including Assistant Prosecutors and other staff members. Black’s behavior towards an Assistant Prosecutor, in particular, was deeply troubling, the complaint reads. He allegedly made lewd comments about her appearance, sent her shirtless photographs of himself, and made inappropriate sexual innuendos, even in professional settings.
In one egregious incident detailed in the complaint, Black made a sexual remark about another employee’s attire in front of colleagues, leaving her embarrassed and uncomfortable. The complaint also describes how Black attempted to groom a third female employee into a sexual relationship, making crude jokes about her pregnancy and sending increasingly explicit text messages.
The allegations detailed in the complaint sent shockwaves through the community and cast a shadow over Black’s tenure as prosecutor. His resignation, albeit coerced, was rejoiced by many.
The additional details provided shed more light on the interactions between Black and several female employees, as well as other individuals involved in the situation:
- Text exchanges between Black and multiple female employees illustrate a progression from casual banter to increasingly inappropriate behavior, including sexual propositions and pressure for a sexual relationship.
- Black’s behavior escalated from suggestive remarks to pressuring female employees into engaging in sexual activities, despite their initial reluctance.
- Texts also reveal instances where Black exhibited controlling behavior, such as instructing a female employee not to communicate with anyone at the Prosecutor’s office during a forced two-week break.
- Eventually, Black’s behavior created a hostile work environment for one woman, leading to her resignation from her position.
Black is also accused of having a sexual relationship with a client; county commissioner Jessica Dickens.
- The encounter between Black and Jessica Dickens, a Hocking County Commissioner, occurred on August 2, 2023, and indicates a consensual sexual relationship occurring while Dicken was serving as a client of the county.
- This behavior violates professional conduct rules prohibiting lawyers from engaging in sexual activity with clients unless a pre-existing consensual relationship existed before the client-lawyer relationship commenced, the board said.
Black is accused of abusing his powerful office for gain:
- Black’s interactions with Mark Stout, the Hocking County IT Director, demonstrate an abuse of power and misuse of his position as a prosecutor.
- In on instance, Black was threatening Stout with legal action and attempting to coerce him into prioritizing the prosecutor’s office’s computer issues reflect behavior that adversely reflects on respondent’s fitness to practice law. Black said he was going to criminally charge Stout if he did not stop everything he was doing to focus on the Prosecutor’s office.
Overall, the additional details paint a clearer picture of the unethical conduct exhibited by Black, including inappropriate behavior, engaging in a sexual relationship with a client, and misusing his position of authority. These actions not only violate professional conduct rules but also create a toxic and hostile environment within the workplace, the board said.
Black’s resignation is effective April 19 and the elected prosecutor who is unchallenged in the general election, Jennifer Graham was appointed by the county commission and is expected to finish the unexpired term until December 31, where she will be sworn into her initial four-year term.
Efforts to reach Ryan Richard Black for comment were unsuccessful at the time of this report.