Salt Creek Township Trustee Facing Theft in Office, Improper Compensation Counts Under Pickaway County Grand Jury Indictment

COLUMBUS — The Pickaway County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against a Salt Creek Township trustee, who allegedly used township resources for personal benefit.

James E. Fox faces two felony counts of theft in office and a misdemeanor count of soliciting or accepting improper compensation, under the indictment filed in Pickaway County Common Pleas Court.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for July 9.

The Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) launched an investigation after Fox admitted during a March 2024 public meeting that he had used a township-owned truck and gravel at his son’s property to assist with flooding issues.

Since 2019, the Special Investigations Unit has assisted in 138 convictions resulting in more than $13 million in restitution (see Map of SIU Convictions since January 2019). The team receives hundreds of tips of suspected fraud annually. Tips can be submitted anonymously online or via SIU’s fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).

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The Auditor of State’s Office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,900 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Keith Faber, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.

Public Affairs
Contact: Marc Kovac
press@ohioauditor.gov