Reynolds trial Day 6: Township officials testify in trial of Butler County Auditor

Reynolds is charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor. If found guilty of the felonies, he faces prison time and would have to leave office. Reynolds is accused of leveraging his political power to further his interests and those of his father, Raymond, who owns land on Hamilton-Mason Road in West Chester Twp.

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The case is being heard by visiting Judge Daniel Hogan, with visiting prosecutor Brad Tammaro and visiting defense attorney Chad Ziepel.

Prosecutors from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office say Reynolds spearheaded a plan for a developer to expand a housing development, Liberty Grand Village, and said land owned by Gerald Parks, his father’s neighbor, would be a good fit.

Reynolds has maintained his innocence and said the charges are part of a political witch hunt and that he spoke out about projects as a private citizen.

Tammaro said if the land was developed, the Rogers family would receive $2.5 million, and Roger Reynolds would make $200,000.

Much of the testimony Monday involved whether Rogers used his public office to influence county officials to approve a financing district that would provide more than $1.1 million in improvements to Hamilton-Mason Road. The cost of the TIF was supposed to be shared by West Chester Twp., Liberty Twp. and Butler County,

All four who testified said they never felt threatened to support the TIF due to Rogers’ political position.

Brueshaber said the land use committee didn’t support the proposed plan because the number of housing units was “a little too intense for the site.”

The next morning, Brueshaber, who said he has financially supported Reynolds’ political campaign, said he received a phone call from Reynolds who was upset by the committee’s rejection.

“It wasn’t a pleasant call at all,” said Brueshaber, who added he was “shocked by (Reynolds’) tone.”

But the proposal was approved by the township’s zoning board. Typically, Brueshaber said, that’s when the township’s staff would have contacted a mediator, but a few weeks later, the item was listed on the township’s meeting agenda.

Boyko said she never received any direction from the three Butler County commissioners regarding the proposal and that was an indication they were against the plan.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

The following are previous articles covering the criminal trial of indicted Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds:

Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds trial, Day 5: Former Lakota treasurer testifies