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Glouster Police Chief Arrested
By: Joe Higgins | Athens Messenger, Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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The chief of police in Glouster was arrested Friday and currently faces two felony charges.
The Athens Messenger first made contact with Glouster Mayor Miles Wolf who confirmed that the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office is conducting an investigation on Lucas Mace, although he declined to confirm under what charges Mace is being investigated.
“We are still ironing out the details,” Wolf said Friday night, adding that he was discussing the matter with Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn when The Messenger called for comment.
In a text, Blackburn reported that an investigation was conducted by his office, the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Athens Police Department, Ohio University Police Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, the result of which led to two fifth-degree felony counts of obstruction of justice against Mace.
Blackburn also noted that a search warrant was conducted at the Glouster Police Department with cooperation of Wolf’s office.
“This has been on the radar,” Blackburn said, “but quickly developed today.”
No further details on the basis for the obstruction of justice charges were provided.
Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks confirmed to The Messenger that Mace was arrested, was facing a fifth-degree felony charge of obstruction of justice and, as of 10:30 p.m., was in the process of being transported to the Washington County Jail.
Mincks said that because Mace is a police officer, he will be placed in protective custody in a “lock-down unit” by himself during his stay at the jail.
Representatives with the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail confirmed that Mace was not taken to that facility.
Interim Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith declined to comment and referred all questions to Blackburn. According to Wolf, Officer Ryan Nagucki has been appointed interim chief of the Glouster Police Department.
Calls to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office seeking comment were not returned Friday night.