Two people, including a former inmate in the Portage County Jail, say they've filed complaints alleging inmates performed work for Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski 's re-election campaign.
Ravenna resident Christopher McCullough said he was assigned last year to help build a structure at the Portage County Fairgrounds that was used by the sheriff to sell merchandise during the Randolph Fair.
He said he also helped set up for a steak dinner fundraiser held last year by the sheriff.
McCullough, who was in the jail from July to October 2023 on an assault charge, said he was paid $3 per week, plus cigarettes, for the work.
The sheriff hasn't responded to phone calls and text messages seeking comment, and an attempt to set up an in-person interview has not been successful.
But in a letter released to WOIO-TV (Channel 19) , Zuchowski said he investigated the complaint and discovered inmates did assist with moving tables and chairs before an event without his knowledge.
"I have moved forward with discipline on both employees involved," Zuchowski told WOIO-TV.
The Portage County Sheriff's Office oversees and staffs the Portage County Jail.
Zuchowski, a Republican, has gained national attention for a controversial Facebook post that critics say amounted to voter intimidation. The post was removed from both his personal and sheriff's Facebook pages.
Zuchowski is running for a second term against Democratic challenger Jon Barber in the Nov. 5 election.
What are the former inmate's claims?
McCullough, who served 90 days last year in the Portage County Jail, participated in the Inmate Training Program. He said participants provide community service at food drives, a homeless shelter, pet rescues and other locations.
However, he said, on two occasions last summer, he was given tasks he later questioned.
In advance of the Portage County Randolph Fair, McCullough said, the crew was dispatched to the fairgrounds to construct a building for the sheriff. The structure, McCullough said, was used to sell the sheriff's merchandise, which is also sold on the sheriff's campaign website .
Then, in September 2023, McCullough said he and other inmates were brought to the Ravenna Moose Lodge, the site of the sheriff's Steak Roast last year.
The crew set up tents, tables, coolers and food for the event, and put up signs along the road to promote it, then cleared out before any of the food was prepared, he said.
After his release, McCullough said he began talking to "lawyers and political people" and learned that what the inmates were asked to do was a potential violation of the law.
"That's highly illegal," he said. "That's for the sheriff's personal gain."
An administrator at the jail said he wouldn't talk about the issue over the phone, and said media interviews should be conducted in person with Zuchowski.
"You'd have to come down here and talk to the sheriff," he said.
A request to meet with the sheriff in-person went unanswered.
Democrat files local, state and federal complaints against Portage County sheriff
One of the "political people" to whom McCullough referred is Chris Clevenger, who also filed complaints. Clevenger said he filed his complaint in March with Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci after a citizen sent him photos.
Vigluicci acknowledged receipt of his complaint and asked if he had complained to Ohio's Elections Commission and Ethics Commission, Clevenger said.
"To the best of my recollection, I reached out by phone to the Ohio Ethics Commission around 3/4/24, who referred me to the Ohio Elections Commission," Clevenger said via an email to Vigluicci. "Upon speaking with the Ohio Elections Commission (I believe on 3/5/24), they referred me to the Ohio Attorney General's Office. When I then called their office, they recommended I lodge a complaint either with the Sheriff's Office directly, or if I felt it would go unanswered, to reach out to the Prosecuting Attorney, as your office would have the authority to refer it should they find it was necessary."
He said he also filed complaints with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel regarding a possible Hatch Act violation, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division regarding "the treatment of incarcerated individuals."
Clevenger serves as vice chair of the Portage County Democratic Party, but said his complaints were filed as a private citizen, and not on behalf of the party.
He said he has not heard about the status of any of his complaints.
The complaint filed with the Portage County prosecutor referred to a photo of the inmates, whom he believed were there placing signs.
McCullough said he is one of the inmates in the photo, and they were placing signs to promote the steak roast, but also were setting up the event that day.
Clevenger also attached a photo of a sign on the lawn of the Portage County Justice Center, questioning whether a political yard sign could be placed on county property.
"In addition to the attached photos, the Sheriff has also published a video on his campaign facebook page that appears to have been recorded in his office at the Justice Center," Clevenger states in his complaint. "In this video, the Sheriff is urging voters to support two candidates − (Jill Crawford and Sherry Griffith) − to replace the two sitting Portage County Commissioners."
That video is no longer available on the sheriff's Facebook page. Griffith, who was running against Commissioner Sabrina Christian-Bennett, lost her primary election in March. Jill Crawford, who was running against Tony Badalamenti in March, won her Republican primary and will face Democrat Carmen Laudato in November.
"This video begs that question as to whether personal or county-owned resources were utilized in the filming and production of this advertisement, and why it was recorded on county property," Clevenger stated.
Portage County prosecutor: Almost 5,000 people contacted him 'to complain about the sheriff'
Vigluicci said he won't confirm the status of any investigations. He also would not state whether any investigations had concluded, or even if any existed. He said, though, he is conferring with the attorney general's office, as he typically does.
Vigluicci said he's had nearly 5,000 people contact him or his office "complaining about the sheriff." The inquiries, he said, came from all over the nation, as well as from local residents, he said.
"Voicemails, emails, text messages, people in my office, whatever," he said.
State hasn't confirmed complaints
A spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose hasn't responded to emails or phone calls asking if complaints were filed or are under investigation. The secretary of state's office previously ruled that the Facebook post didn't violate state election laws.
Steve Irwin, press secretary for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, didn't confirm whether any complaints were filed in his office.
"This type of complaint is more properly addressed by the Secretary of State’s office, Ethics Commission and/or the county prosecutor’s office," Irwin said.
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-696-1115 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'That's highly illegal': Complaints allege inmates did work for Portage sheriff's campaign
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