BETHEL, Ohio — Bethel Police Chief Chad Essert was indicted on 70 counts of sexual misconduct according to the Clermont County Sheriff's Office and the Clermont County Prosecutor's Office.
In a joint statement Thursday, the prosecutor's office and sheriff's office said 44-year-old Essert was indicted for 56 counts of sexual battery and 14 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
Essert was first placed on administrative leave pending investigation May 8. On May 15, the Clermont County Sheriff's Office released the findings of their investigation but said, "no criminal act was found."
Although the sheriff's office then closed its investigation, Essert remained on paid administrative leave while the Village of Bethel conducted its own investigation.
According to the statement Thursday, the offenses happened between 2005 and 2010 while Essert was an instructor at Young Marines and a teacher at Scarlet Oaks in Sharonville.
"The victim was a student of Essert's during that timeframe and the offenses occurred in multiple locations throughout Clermont and Hamilton County," the statement said.
According to the statement, Essert was taken into custody around 7 p.m. Thursday by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in Seminole, Florida. He is being held in the Pinellas County Jail awaiting extradition back to Clermont County.
If Essert is convicted of all 70 charges, the statement said he could face a maximum penalty of 280 years in prison.
