Top sheriff’s official fired, investigation underway into ‘potential criminal misconduct’

HILLSBORO, Ohio (WXIX) - Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera initiated an investigation into “potential criminal misconduct” by Chief Deputy Brandon Stratton - the second-highest ranking member of the department - and then fired him last week, county records show.

“Your position as Chief Deputy is a position of trust, with a close fiduciary relationship to me, exempt from classified civil service under law, and you have served at the pleasure of the Sheriff, without an employment contract,” Sheriff Barrera wrote Stratton, according to a copy of his termination letter.

“There has been an investigation initiated by my office regarding potential criminal misconduct on your part. I relieve you of your duties, and inform you that you are no longer employed by the Highland County Sheriff’s Office effective today, March 20, 2024.”

Stratton was fired just one day after losing what became a contentious primary race for sheriff against a former co-worker, Randy Sanders.

Sanders was a sergeant when he quit the sheriff’s office in December 2019 to become the chief investigator for the Highland County Task Force., according to his personnel file.

He works out of the Highland County Prosecutor’s Office but remains a special deputy, sheriff’s records show.

Sheriff Barrera requested the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association’s assistance in securing an outside agency for the investigation into Stratton back on March 8, according to a copy of his letter to Executive Director Bob Cornwell.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reached out to Sheriff Barrera shortly after. They will review the allegations to determine if they rise to the level of a potential crime, according to Chief Deputy Rick Minerd, who oversees their Criminal Investigations Division.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office will be working with two special prosecuting attorneys out of Columbus who were court-appointed Friday at the request of Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, court records show.

The special prosecuting attorneys were appointed “for the purpose of assisting in and reviewing an investigation into possible alleged criminal offenses and if warranted prosecuting any alleged criminal changes or indictments that may result from that investigation,” reads an order signed by Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss.

The judge sealed Collins’ request for a special prosecutor. The court record documenting that, stamped with Friday’s date, does not explain why.

Highland County Task force Chief Investigator Randy Sanders won the March 19 primary race for... — Highland County Task force Chief Investigator Randy Sanders won the March 19 primary race for sheriff. No Democratic candidates filed for the sheriff's race.(Provided)

Before Sheriff Barrera fired Stratton, he put Stratton on paid administrative leave twice earlier in March.

Both suspensions were related to allegations of unethical behavior during the primary campaign, state and sheriff’s records show.

The first one happened after portions of 2019 public records involving allegations against Sanders and a copy of his 2019 resignation from the sheriff’s office were put in unmarked envelopes without postage and wound up in some Highland County mailboxes on March 6 or March 7, sources tell FOX19 NOW.

On March 13, former Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward (2000-2014) filed a citizen’s complaint of “conduct unbecoming of an officer” against Stratton and another former Highland County Sheriff, Tom Horst, a copy of it shows. Horst served three terms as sheriff in the 1980s and 1990s. He now serves as a volunteer special deputy for the sheriff’s office.

Ward wrote in his complaint that Stratton and Horst “gave patently false information to (two Highland County newspapers) “in a purposeful effort to damage my reputation and damage the Sanders for Sheriff campaign in which I am chairman. The information they provided is without truth or merit. The interview (with one of the newspapers) was published online and later taken down after it was learned to be false.”

Ward requested an investigation, “appropriate discipline” and a public apology “be issued in an effort to repair damage to my reputation in this community in which I live, work and serve,” his complaint shows.

Last year, Sheriff Barrera and Highland County’s prosecutor both asked an outside agency, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, to look into concerns involving Stratton including:

He wrote an email from his sheriff’s office email account to several sheriff’s employees on their work accounts promoting his political campaign, a copy of it shows. The email was titled “Continuity and Progress: Moving Forward.”

It also says: “There will be a directive coming out on the rules for classified employees being involved in partisan campaigning.”

Portions of the email were redacted before they were recently released to FOX19 NOW by BCI.

Stratton wrote: “With Sheriff Barrera announcing to me that he will not be running for another term, I wanted to let everyone know that I am running for (redacted) in the 2024 election.

“Over the past several years we have made numerous improvements to equipment, training and operations of the office in order to make a safer and better working environment. If elected it is my intention to continue on that path with the transition being seamless as possible with continuity in daily operations and personnel.

“Since becoming (redacted) I’ve strived to ensure that communication with staff is open, professional and transparent, which will continue if I am elected.

“If you have operational concerns, you can bring them to me through the chain of command. Rumors and speculation are a waste of everyone’s time, promote divisiveness, create anxiety and destroy morale.

‘There has been a tremendous amount of positive change since I began my career at this office in 1995. I will continue to foster a positive office environment where our employees are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

“If you have questions or concerns about this email, don’t hesitate to contact me directly. There will be a directive coming out on the rules for classified employees being involved in partisan campaigning.”

Highland County’s prosecutor asked BCI to investigate a thumb drive that was taken out of evidence by someone and not returned, state records show. Sources confirm to FOX19 NOW that person is Stratton.

Prosecutor Collins told BCI it was unknown where the thumb drive was currently located but alleged to be in a safe in Stratton’s office at the sheriff’s office, according to BCI’s investigative report.

“Collins said she believed it to be tampering with evidence,” the report states.

Collins sent BCI an official letter requesting that they look into the matter, along with a copy of a report from 2019 “involving an assault at a residence of (redacted), Collins’ father. As part of that investigation, A Cellabrite analysis was performed by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office on the phone of (redacted). A thumb drive was provided to the Highland County Sheriff’s Office and was put into evidence. In the report there is documentation the thumb drive was checked out by (redacted) on Nov. 15, 2019. On Dec 2, 2019, a second thumb drive of information from (redacted) phone was obtained by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office to provide for discovery.”

A BCI agent spoke with the sheriff about the thumb drive in May 2023. The sheriff “advised he was aware of the thumb drive and to the best of his knowledge, it was locked up in the safe in (Stratton’s) office. Sheriff Barrera stated he would go talk with (Stratton) and confirm that and call back,” the investigative report continues.

Shortly after, the sheriff called the BCI agent back and said the “thumb drive was in the safe in (Stratton’s) office. Sheriff Barrera suggested (the BCI agent) talk with (Stratton)....who confirmed he took the item out of evidence and put it in a safe in his office for safe keeping. (Stratton) stated there was an issue with things for the case being lost at the municipal court.”

The BCI agent asked Stratton why he didn’t put the drive back into evidence after the case was adjudicated.

Stratton advised there were things on the drive he believed should be investigated further, but the Sheriff did not want anything done with it.

Stratton told the BCI agent “he has to do what the Sheriff says and has been holding onto the drive.”

BCI reviewed these concerns and declined to get involved, state records show.

“Consideration was given to the type and level of the alleged offense, available evidence, solvability factors and prosecution concerns and limitations. Due to internal request prioritization, our assistance in this matter cannot be provided. Because every request for assistance is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, this denial will have no effect on any future requests received from your agency,” wrote Jeffrey Cook, Special Agent Supervisor of BCI’s Integrity Unit, in separate letters to both the sheriff and prosecutor.

“You are encouraged to contact BCI if any future needs arise or additional information becomes available regarding the present request which you feel may alter our decision. Thank you for considering the skills and expertise of BCI in helping you resolve this important matter. I appreciate your concerns in handling this matter in a way that promotes the public trust.”

Stratton, Sheriff Barrera and Sanders did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Neither did the former sheriff. Horst could not be reached for comment.

Sheriff Barrera’s staff said Friday he was out of the office until Tuesday. We received a copy of Stratton’s termination letter through a public record request to Highland County’s auditor, who was copied on it.

Sheriff Barrera did not run for re-election.

The sheriff endorsed Stratton but withdrew it shortly before the election.

Sanders faces no opposition from a Democratic candidate for the sheriff’s office.

His personnel file shows he did not explain in his resignation letter why he was leaving for the prosecutor’s office in December 2019.

But in the months leading up to it, he was put on paid administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation “of your conduct where you are being investigated in a criminal matter,” Sheriff Barrera wrote in an August 2019 letter to Sanders.

Stratton had removed Sanders as the lead detective of an ongoing investigation and ordered him not to have anything to do with the case. The investigation was turned over to BCI, according to BCI’s investigative report.

BCI reviewed an allegation of obstruction of official business involving Sanders in November 2019 with Sheriff Barrera agreeing that “the evidence they now have does not support their initial allegation” that prompted the investigation, state and county records show.

The case was closed with no charges after it was reviewed by the Adams County prosecutor.

The summary for the prosecutor, however, says one of the witnesses whose name is redacted told the BCI agent “there is animosity between the prosecutor’s office and the sheriff’s office. She cited multiple instances where both parties have not been cordial to each other.

“(The witness) advised she has recently prosecuted the son of Chief Deputy Stratton on more than one occasion. Additionally, Detective (Sanders) was the arresting investigator. She opined Chief Deputy Stratton is blaming them for the arrest and conviction of his son.”