(8-1-24) Former Wapakoneta Mayor Thomas Stinebaugh reported to the Auglaize County Jail on Wednesday to begin serving a six-month sentence on three misdemeanor charges on conflict of interest.

A journal entry ordering the jail sentence was filed one day earlier in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court.

07/30/2024 JOURNAL ENTRY ORDERS TO REPORT TO JAIL FILED– THE DEFENDANT WAS SENTENCED ON OCTOBER 29, 2021 ON COUNT SIX- CONFLICT OF INTEREST 102.03(D), MISDEMEANOR OF THE 1ST DEGREE, COUNT SEVEN: CONFLICT OF INTEREST 102.03(D), MISDEMEANOR OF THE 1ST DEGREE AND COUNT EIGHT: CONFLICT OF INTEREST 102.03(D), MISDEMEANOR OF THE 1ST DEGREE TO SIX MONTHS — 180 DAYS ON EACH OF SAID COUNTS TO BE SERVED CONCURRENTLY. PURSUANT TO THE DECISION OF THE THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS DATED AND JOURNALIZED JULY 15, 2024, THE FELONY COUNTS WERE REVERSED AND THE ABOVE MISDEMEANOR COUNTS WERE AFFIRMED. THE DEFENDANT WAS GRANTED AN APPELLATE BOND AT THE TIME OF SENTENCING AND HIS MOTION TO STAY EXECUTION WAS GRANTED AT THAT TIME. ACCORDINGLY, THE COURT ORDERS THE DEFENDANT TO REPORT TO THE AUGLAIZE COUNTY CORRECTION CENTER TO COMMENCE SERVING HIS ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY (180) DAY SENTENCE AS TO COUNTS SIX, SEVEN AND EIGHT ON JULY 31, 2024 AT 8:00 A.M. THE DEFENDANT HAS -0- DAYS JAIL TIME CREDIT AGAINST HIS 180 DAY SENTENCE.

The charges were related to a sewer line installed by the City of Wapakoneta at Stinebaugh’s direction to a home which he had constructed.

On October 28th, 2022 during a jury trial Stinebaugh was found guilty of one count of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, a 4th degree felony, theft in office, a 5th degree felony and three 1st degree misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest.

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Stinebaugh appealed his conviction to the Third District Court of Appeals. The court said the state had failed to establish that Stinebaugh —

“had a prohibited interest that falls within the meaning of (an existing city ordinance). Because the evidence does not establish an essential element of the charged offense, Stinebaugh’s conviction for having an unlawful interest in a public contract is reversed.”