BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Bucyrus City Councilwoman Carolyn Shireman made her initial appearance in Crawford County Municipal Court after being charged with second-degree felony theft and a first-degree misdemeanor charge of intimidation.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by Crawford County prosecutors in collaboration with the Crawford County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
The allegations against Shireman involve activities purportedly committed between May 2019 and January 2025, after she was appointed as the power of attorney for a 52-year-old male victim. This role granted her full control over the victim’s finances, including his retirement and savings accounts.
According to Prosecutor Matt Crall, the victim, who had a lengthy work history and substantial savings, is alleged to have been exploited by Shireman. The charges claim that she engaged in “self-dealing,” purchasing clothing, jewelry, and personal items with the victim’s funds. Notably, one transaction involved a check made out to cash for $25,000. Crall mentioned that the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation had conducted a forensic audit of the victim’s financial accounts, revealing significant discrepancies.
While Crall had anticipated the presence of a BCI agent in court to provide further details, the agent was unavailable due to another criminal emergency. Nonetheless, Crall presented specific allegations against Shireman, including payments made to her husband, who resides rent-free in the victim’s home, loans to friends, and direct donations to Shireman’s charity. He estimated that suspicious purchases could exceed six figures, with additional claims indicating that Shireman cashed in the victim’s life insurance and emptied his savings, totaling around $100,000.
Judge Shane Leuthold reviewed the power of attorney document and acknowledged that while Shireman had the authority to manage the victim’s finances, she was not entitled to any personal benefits derived from her fiduciary decisions. In court, Shireman’s attorney argued that the facts would portray a different narrative than what the prosecution presented but did not request a dismissal of the charges. Instead, he sought a personal recognizance bond for his client.
Prosecutor Crall recommended a $50,000 bond. After considering the Ohio Revised Code on bond determinations, including her age, threat to public safety, health, and potential flight risk, Judge Leuthold issued a personal recognizance bond for Shireman, contingent upon her wearing an electronic monitoring device and remaining under house arrest with permission to attend approved medical appointments.
As of now, Shireman’s case has not yet been presented to the Crawford County Grand Jury. Additionally, the victim has been granted court-ordered protection, with Shireman prohibited from any direct or indirect contact with him. The intimidation charge arises from allegations that Shireman attempted to coerce the victim into recanting his story shortly after being interrogated by law enforcement.
Judge Leuthold warned Shireman that any attempts to contact the victim, directly or indirectly, could lead to the immediate revocation of her bond and her return to custody. Furthermore, Leuthold ordered Shireman to forfeit her passport, any paperwork, as well as any credit cards or debit cards held in the victim’s name and in her possession. She is also to have no access to any fiduciary business on behalf of the victim or anyone else.
If convicted of the second-degree felony theft, Shireman faces a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of eight years in prison. If found guilty on the misdemeanor intimidation charge, Shireman faces up to 180 days in jail.
Crawford County Now is preparing video coverage of the hearing, available for viewing through the provided link. Crawford County Now will continue to cover this developing news story.