The former head of the Narcotics Enforcement Team filed a motion yesterday asking the court to dismiss one of the eight felony counts against him.
Former Athens County Sheriff’s Deputy Jerry D. Hallowell was charged with four counts of sexual battery and one count of bribery, attempt to commit sexual battery, theft in office and unauthorized use of Ohio’s Law Enforcement Gateway in April. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
Hallowell, 44, asked the court yesterday to dismiss the theft in office charge. He claims that the indictment is “overly broad” and that it “fails to set up specifically the nature” of the offense, according to court documents.
The indictment states that between May 20 and Sept. 9, 2010, Hallowell unlawfully committed a theft offense of property or services that were owned by Athens County.
The theft, bribery and unauthorized use of Ohio’s Law Enforcement Gateway charges came from an investigation by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, a department in the Office of the Ohio Attorney General.
The sexual battery charges stemmed from four different events spanning from April 27 to Sept. 5, 2010. The attempted sexual battery charge occurred Sept. 9 when Hallowell was found at the Super 8 motel, 2091 E. State St., with an informant and an unknown female during an arranged sexual encounter, according to court documents.
He was indicted by a grand jury April 11, 2011.
Hallowell was on paid leave from the time of his arrest until his resignation May 9, 2011. He was being paid the normal deputies annual salary of $42,993.60.
The state has yet to issue a response to the motion to dismiss. Hallowell has a final preliminary hearing scheduled Nov. 2.
ml147009@ohiou.edu
