Charge against Poland fired worker dismissed

Staff report

STRUTHERS

A criminal charge was dismissed today against a former Poland Township employee who was accused of stealing from the township.

Raymond Beatty, 28, had faced a misdemeanor theft charge in Struthers Municipal Court after township police investigated a tip Beatty had stolen road grindings while working in the road department.

Township trustees voted unanimously in October to fire Beatty.

According to a police report, the initial tip alleged road grindings were transported to Beatty’s residence by “an unknown, private company.”

The Vindicator could not reach the prosecutor’s office Tuesday, but 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, reported that “prosecutors say there were no clearly stated policies on the use of the slag, and therefore Beatty could not have known what he was doing was wrong.”

Read more about the case in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.