Submitted article and staff report

The Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office received the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCII) investigation requested by the Crawford County Prosecutor Matthew Crall and Crestline Police Chief Joe Butler.

Wednesday’s press release from Crall’s office regarding that report said in part,” Upon review of the investigation and to insure an outcome which will encourage public trust in both our law enforcement and the proper means for investigating our law enforcement, the Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office requested the Ohio Attorney General’s Office be appointed as Special Prosecutor.”

According to Crall, “Since the Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office routinely handles felony and juvenile criminal complaints investigated by all law enforcement agencies in Crawford County, I determined that the appearance of impropriety requires an outside party prosecute any criminal violations that the BCII may have found in their investigation.”

Crall filed a motion in Crawford County Common Pleas Court appointing Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and any of his Assistant Attorneys General as special prosecutor(s) to determine the need for and prosecution of any criminal charges.

Allegations of sexual misconduct in which a Crestline police officer solicited sexual favors in exchange for not writing tickets were posted to Facebook by a relative of the alleged victim last year and were brought up at a Jan. 26 Crestline Village Council meeting. Mayor David Sharrock and Crestline Police Chief Joe Butler began an internal investigation and gave their findings to Crall.

BCII began investigating the incident in January at the request of Crall. The county prosecutor received BCII’s findings May 11, according to The Crestline Advocate, but he could not say when or if charges would be filed.

The accused police officer currently remains on duty, a sticking point that was raised at an April Village Council meeting. The Advocate reported that Mayor Sharrock stated that the allegations were raised by a third party, not the alleged victim, and on social media. Other council members agreed that it was a gray area on whether the officer should be placed on paid administrative leave while being investigated.