Longtime Madison Twp. trustee facing criminal charges resigns after court appearance

On Monday, Daniel was back in court, where Judge Greg Stephens continued the case for one week. A change of plea on Feb. 13 is possible.

Daniel is free on his own recognizance.

Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said shortly after the hearing, he received Daniel’s resignation from the board of trustees.

Specifically, Daniel is charged with three counts of unlawful interest in a public contract, a fourth-degree felony, and four counts of use of authority or influence of office to secure anything of value, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Prosecutors and Butler County Sheriff’s Office detectives allege Daniel participated as a voting member of the Butler County Board of Zoning Appeals and as a voting member of the Board of Madison Twp. Trustees in things that benefited him personally and/or a member of his family. Daniel previously resigned from the county board of zoning appeals.

Daniel had been an elected Madison Twp. trustee for approximately 29 years. The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the investigation and referral for prosecution by the Ohio Ethics Commission. Both entities worked on the investigation for more than a year.

An audit was released in July that was critical of the township’s finances, including citations that two trustees had improperly voted on legislation that involved relatives.

The audit said Daniel voted on 36 road department ordinances in 2018 and 2019 when he should have abstained because his son Todd Daniel is road supervisor.

Last year, a complaint was filed with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office alleging Daniel voted on several zoning variances for properties his son, Todd Daniel, owned at the corner of Keister and Middletown Germantown roads, clearing the way for a new Dollar General store.

Daniel held the mortgage on the two properties in question that were owned by his son at the time of the BZA vote. If he had not participated in the vote it would not have passed for lack of a quorum on the board.