Beech Tree News Network

Butler County Sheriff Scottie Ward is under investigation for his behavior stemming from a December 14 Butler County Fiscal Court meeting.  Sometime following that meeting, Butler County Attorney Richard Deye reported what he believed to be inappropriate conduct by a "Butler County official" (supposedly Ward) to the Director of Special Prosecutions.  In his complaint, Deye cited BeechTreeNews.com’s coverage as a partial account of the events of the meeting.  The meeting was ripe with controversey as Sheriff Ward and magistrates were involved in a vigorous give-and-take discussion on the sheriff's budget. Sheriff Ward presented the proposed a 2016 budget and following a dissenting vote and decision to delay approval until a Dec. 28 meeting, a heated debate occurred.  Reporting on that meeting can be found on Beech Tree News at the following link:   http://beechtreenews.com/articles/budget-battle-sheriffs-deputies-strike...

Hardin County Attorney Jennifer Oldham has been appointed by the Attorney General’s office to make a review of the actions that transpired during the December 14 meeting.

According to Deye's complaint, words were spoken and actions were taken by Ward which may rise to the level of criminal violations including: menacing, terroristic threatening, official misconduct first degree, official misconduct second degree, disorderly conduct and disrupting a meeting.

Ward strongly disagrees with the allegations made in Deye's complaint. 

"It was definitely a heated meeting with a lot of emotion on both sides but nothing I said or did constitutes a criminal violation of any sort," stated Ward.  "I was simply trying to defend my department and the taxpayers I serve by speaking out against some of the proposals being made regarding the budget for the sheriff's department.  "It is unfortunate that Mr. Deye would choose to complain to the Attorney General as a way to express his concerns." 

The review is ongoing and will be reported as details become available. 

Sheriff Ward will be a guest on “Out On The Limb” on WLBQ 101.5 at 7 a.m. Thursday.