MOUNT VERNON — A former county fiscal officer will spend time in prison and pay nearly $20,000 in restitution on charges relating to theft in office, insurance fraud, and having weapons while under disability.
Chester E. Woods III, an ex-fiscal officer for the Knox County Engineer’s Office, pleaded guilty to the charges on May 12.
On Thursday, Common Pleas Judge Richard Wetzel sentenced Woods to 15 months in prison on the theft in office charge. He also sentenced Woods to 11 months on the insurance fraud count and 12 months on the weapons with disability charge.
The sentences will run concurrently. They align with the May 12 joint recommendations of state’s attorney and Special Prosecutor Thomas Anger and Woods’ defense attorney, Patrick Brown.
Wetzel ordered Woods to pay $9,076 in restitution to the Knox County Engineer’s Office and $8,785 to the Auditor State of Ohio to cover audit costs. The $8,785 will be divided equally between the county prosecutor’s office and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
The $2,000 will go to the insurance carrier that paid on a fraudulent claim that Woods filed.
Woods will not pay a fine for any of the charges but will pay court costs.
Prior to sentencing, Brown said that Woods has “owned this from the very beginning.”
“He’s cooperated extensively with the Ohio Auditor’s Office. He’s answered all questions. He’s gainfully employed … he’s in therapy,” Brown said. “I know that he’s remorseful for what happened.”
“I have been trying to get this behind us for about 18 months,” Woods said. “I have tried to be forthcoming. … I have owned the fact that I did this. I screwed up; the county gave me a chance.”
Woods said there was no collusion with the county engineer or any other employee.
“This is my fault. Nobody else was responsible,” he said. “Whatever the court decides it needs to do, I am willing to do that.”
According to Anger, between March 2018 and April 2020 Woods used a county credit card to purchase items for personal use. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office found those items while executing a search warrant at Woods’ home.
The KCSO also found a 9mm pistol. Woods is barred from having weapons due to a 2005 felony conviction in Wayne County.
A Knox County Grand Jury indicted Woods on the weapons charge, a third-degree felony, in August 2020.
The theft in office charge is a fourth-degree felony. It carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000.
The insurance fraud count, a fifth-degree felony, carries a maximum prison sentence of 12 months and a maximum fine of $2,500. The charge stems from Woods claiming he sustained a dental injury from a food product.
Woods filed a claim with the food product’s insurance carrier even though he knew the claim was fraudulent. The carrier paid Woods $2,000.
