COLUMBUS — The Richland County Grand Jury has returned indictments against the former executive director for the Richland County Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services (RCMH) and a former board member following an investigation into improper contracting.
Former Executive Director Joseph Trolian faces one felony count of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, three misdemeanor counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, and three misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest.
Former board member Jay Wachs faces two felony counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, two misdemeanor counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, and two misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest.
The indictments were posted on Monday in Richland County Common Pleas Court.
The Ohio Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) launched an investigation in October 2023 after receiving a complaint alleging Trolian and Wachs benefited financially from contracts for services for RCMH.
Trolian allegedly used his public position to secure a contract for training that he knew would benefit his wife, among other issues. Wachs allegedly used his public position to secure a contract that benefited himself and his company.
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