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Health commissioner to enter plea on charges
The state is still looking into the health department’s spending.
LISBON — A plea hearing has been set for today for Columbiana County Health Commissioner Robert Morehead.
Morehead, 59, of Wellsville, was to go on trial at 9 a.m. The plea hearing is set for 2 p.m.
Emily Frazee, a deputy press secretary for the state auditor, said she could not comment on the hearing.
Atty. James Manken, who works for the state auditor, agreed to act as a special prosecutor. County Prosecutor Robert Herron stepped aside because he legally represents the board of health.
Morehead’s lawyer, James Hartford, did not return a call Monday.
Frazee has said that Morehead is accused of taking between $4,000 and $5,000.
Morehead has been indicted on one count of theft in office, one count of theft, and five counts of forgery. All the charges are felonies.
He faces up to 7 1‚Ñ2 in years in prison if he pleads guilty as charged. He is accused of improperly spending health department funds.
Defendants who plead guilty or enter a no-contest plea in a case generally receive a reduction in their sentence. But there is a possibility that Morehead will face additional charges.
The indictments state that the improper spending occurred from late 1996 through 2004.
State auditors are currently working on the county health department audit for 2006 and 2007.
Frazee has said that details of Morehead’s spending would be released after the case is resolved.
The state auditor’s office found that Morehead made a variety of inappropriate purchases at a Barnes & Noble bookstore, bought Rolling Stones concert tickets and a watch, and paid hotel and meal expenses. The audits also found that he took cash advances on a county credit card.
The audit that covered 1996 to 2002 stated that of “$51,072 in credit card purchases and cash advances, $13,958 was unsupported by any type of receipt, and $5,916 was supported only by the signed credit card slip, without the detail of the purchase presented. Most notably, only $422 in meals were supported by detailed receipts. Meals totaling $958 had no receipt, and meals totaling $5,033 included just the credit card receipt without the detail of items purchased.”
The indictment claims that in 1998, Morehead forged five credit card slips at gas stations and a local pizza shop for amounts ranging from $12 to $17.
During the initial audits, the health board approved a resolution approving Morehead’s spending on meals.
County Auditor Nancy Milliken said Monday it is not clear how much of the findings against Morehead have been repaid.
The probe into the Morehead spending started after The Vindicator ran a series on travel spending by county officials.
wilkinson@vindy.com