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A former Meigs County Sheriff has been found guilty of theft in office

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A former Meigs County Sheriff has been found guilty of taking public funds for personal use.

Two students interview former Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood in his office.
Former Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood is interviewed in his office several years ago. [WOUB File Photo]
Keith Wood entered an Alford plea Thursday in Meigs County Common Pleas Court and was found guilty of a single felony count of theft in office, according to a release from State Auditor Keith Faber.

The plea came as part of a deal to dismiss felony charges of telecommunications fraud and misuse of credit cards and misdemeanor counts of misuse of credit cards and soliciting or accepting improper compensation against him.

Wood was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and three years of community control and ordered to make restitution totaling $5,000.

A grand jury had indicted Wood in February after an investigation into the potential misuse of money from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.

Investigators with the auditor’s Special Investigations Unit found Wood used ATMs to withdraw cash from the fund at different locations in Ohio and West Virginia for his personal use.

Wood announced he would resign as sheriff in November 2022, citing health and family as reason for the decision.

He is barred from serving in public office and violating the terms of his plea deal could lead to up to 12 months in jail.