Smith pleaded not guilty to all charges and was in Middletown Municipal Court last month for a preliminary hearing where a Middletown detective testified the signature on the defendant’s court document didn’t appear to match those on the seven checks in question.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
At the preliminary hearing, Smith’s attorney, Christopher Deal, presented a pre-trial release form that was signed by Smith. The signature on that paper didn’t appear to match Smith’s signature on the bounced checks that totaled $56,300, Middletown detective Patrick Glassburn said when questioned.
Despite this evidence, Middletown Municipal Court Judge James Sherron bound the case to a grand jury for consideration. Today, the grand jury returned “no bills” or no indictment on all seven charges.
The checks were written between June 1, 2022 and June 23, 2023, according to the court document. The check amounts ranged from $2,800 to $15,000, according to documents. Detectives alleged Smith was attempting to return money taken from the Central Connections account.
Smith’s wife, Diane Rodgers, was terminated on July 27 from her position at Central Connections and is the target of criminal investigations regarding finances at the center, according to police Chief David Birk. No criminal charges against Rodgers have been filed and the investigation is ongoing, he said.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s forensic accounting unit has joined the investigation at the request of Birk.
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said he could not comment at this time about any decision by a grand jury. But, Gmoser added the investigation is continuing.
