Former Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds says Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, among others, didn't like Reynolds and targeted him for prosecution, withholding evidence during his trials. Reynolds has created a website where he's posting what he says is evidence of this "lawfare," but he's stopping short of filing any type of civil lawsuit or ethics complaints.
" 'Lawfare' is simply politicians using their legal authority to intimidate or hinder another political opponent," he told media during a news conference Tuesday. "A lot of the news is related to Donald Trump and his accusations that either Fani Willis or Alvin Bragg or Leticia Jones are using lawfare against him. But you know, it's not just the Republicans blaming the Democrats. We're seeing the Democrats blame the Republicans. We saw that with the Hunter Biden application for a gun permit, simply taking him to task and spending enormous amounts of money because he didn't fill out a form correctly. The Democrats accused the Republicans of using lawfare."
Jones opened an investigation into Reynolds in 2021, and Yost joined the investigation in 2022. Reynolds was indicted on five counts related to a land project in Liberty Township. A sixth count of unlawful interest in a public contract, related to a property deal involving a golf course and the Lakota School District, was added later. He pleaded not guilty on all charges.
Reynolds was acquitted of the first five charges at the end of 2022 but found guilty of the sixth. In 2024, the Court of Appeals of Ohio’s 12th Appellate District vacated Reynolds’ conviction based on insufficient evidence and ordered the trial court to dismiss his case.
Reynolds says he learned later that Yost and his team of prosecutors did not provide Reynolds' defense team with documents the former county auditor says prove his innocence. He says Yost received those documents during the trial's discovery phase, but didn't turn them over to the prosecution as required. Reynolds also says audio was withheld from his defense at one point, which his team later used to help prove his innocence.
"I believe the first part of it was all simply a witch hunt," said Reynolds. "Rick Jones was so proud [that] he had two full-time detectives on the job. They spent hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. At one point, there were nine detectives working on this investigation. Who was working on the fentanyl crisis that we have? Who was working on the other issues that were related to Butler County and hurting people? The sexual assaults — you name it."
WVXU has reached out to Jones and Yost for comment.
Why Reynolds isn't filing his own charges
Reynolds says his website lays out his case against Jones and Yost and includes documentation to back up his assertions. However, he says he won't seek a civil suit against either of them or file ethics charges.
"I realized that if I sue them, I'm suing the taxpayer if I'm successful," he said. "So, I struggle with that. I never took the job to do anything more than work for the taxpayer, so I can't consciously go and file a lawsuit where the taxpayers are going to be hurt more financially."
He says he's putting the information out now so people can see "who's working for you, and you need to make those decisions yourself."
Yost is running to replace Gov. Mike DeWine in 2026. Reynolds says he's unfit for the position and unfit for his current position as attorney general.
"Dave Yost should not try another case in the state of Ohio," he said. "And Dave Yost should not even think of running for governor because that is not the type of person we need."
Despite the anguish he says he and his family went through during the trials, Reynolds says he isn't through with public service. He plans to run for some type of county position in 2026, whether it be auditor — a position he says he really loved — or something else, like Butler County commissioner.
"I'm eager to get back in and run," he said.
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