Kenneth Ritchie, 43, was hired April 16 as a corrections officer in the Butler County Jail, according to the sheriff.
Ritchie pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanor in connection with the FOP incident, Jones said, adding that the court record has been expunged and sealed.
After leaving the department, Ritchie worked for the Ohio Department of Corrections where Jones also spent the first part of his career. Jones said Ritchie did use him as reference.
“Everyone at the prison said he was a good employee, got good reviews,” Jones said.
The sheriff noted it is difficult to find corrections officers because many aspire to be law enforcement officers and leave when they get another job.
“And it is a hard, dangerous thankless job,” Jones said.
Because of the conviction, Ritchie no longer has a police commission and cannot serve as a police officer. But that does not mean he can not serve a corrections officer.
“He will not be looking to move on as a police officer,” J0nes said. “He will be fine in the jail.”
The FOP incident is not the first time Ritchie was accused of mismanaging funds from a nonprofit group. Ritchie was suspended by the sheriff’s office in September 2011 after being accused of mismanaging funds as treasurer of an area youth baseball association. He was suspended from work with the sheriff’s office for 40 hours, but the baseball association did not press charges.
“Everybody makes mistakes. He paid for it with his job and embarrassment. That doesn’t mean he can’t have a job,” Jones said. “I am the CEO here. I hire people, I discipline people and I fire people. But I believe in second chances and sometimes third chances.”
FOP President Jeff Gebhart did not respond to requests for comment.
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