Hamilton BMV office that suddenly closed in April re-opens

Lieurance declined to talk about the opening of the office and referred questions to the BMV headquarters in Columbus.

The BMV confirmed that an interim registrar re-opened the office in Hamilton.

MORE: Police investigate alleged embezzlement at closed Hamilton BMV office

The previous deputy registrar, Benita Davis, resigned April 13. State officials said a BMV office must have a deputy registrar to remain open. Davis has been a deputy registrar since October 1992, and her current agency contract was set to expire in 2019, according to BMV spokeswoman Lindsey Bohrer.

At the time of the closing, Bohrer said there were administrative and operational issues at the agency that the BMV was there to address.

The Journal-News learned the issues that resulted in the closing of the office involved transactions for family members that violated BMV policies.

In addition, Hamilton police were also investigating allegations of embezzlement at that office. An unnamed person stole an unknown amount of money between Jan. 1, 2010, and Nov. 4, 2015, according to a police report that was filed by the Ohio Deputy Registrar Association.

There were no other details about the embezzlement allegations in the police report obtained by the Journal-News.

Sgt. Brian Robinson said today the case remains under investigation.

The state contracts with deputy registrars to run independent offices throughout the state. Those locations provide drivers licenses, permits, titles and other services.