By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — Commissioners appointed a new prosecuting attorney for the reopening of Shannon McDaniel’s case. Commissioners Matt Aultman, Mike Stegall, and Larry Holmes were present.

Darke County State Prosecuting Attorney R. Kelly Ormsby, III proposed the commission board approve the appointment of Erin Minor with Mercer County as Prosecuting Attorney to partake in Shannon McDaniel’s case.

McDaniel was sentenced to a 14-year prison term in August of 2020 after pleading guilty to 14 third-degree felony counts of sexual battery, in which he knowingly coerced a minor into performing sexual acts.

McDaniel was a former Greenville police officer and has currently served two years of his sentence. Ormsby advised the commissioners that McDaniel had filed a withdrawal of plea, and due to the original appointed State Prosecutor having been appointed as a common pleas judge, they were asked to appoint Minor in his place.

McDaniel’s original sentence included a 12 month sentence on each of the 14 counts, with each count to be served consecutively, for a total of 168 months or 14 years. He is also required to register as a Tier III sex offender.

Lightening the mood, Aultman spoke up about grants Darke County had been awarded to fund the Brown Field Project. Ohio Department of Development contacted the commissioners at the beginning of the week and they were awarded a total of $337,000 for two projects.

“The first project is the old Sunoco in Union City. It has some cement, underground tanks, etc., but this is to clean up the property that sits caddy-corner of the police station,” Aultman said.

For the Sunoco clean up, the project was awarded $187,000. The other property awarded was the old Gettysburg School.

“With recent stuff going on in Gettysburg, this is going to be a nice addition to clean that up. They are looking to expand the community center there with the private group,” Aulman said.

He advised it will be just the old classroom, a small square part of the building. They are going to clean it up to a tune of $250,000.

“Between the two projects, we have $337,000 dollars coming back to Darke County from the State,” Aulman said.

The Darke County Board of Commissioners meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at their office located at 520 S. Broadway Street in Greenville. To contact the office, call 937-547-7370.

To contact Daily Advocate Reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].