The corruption case against Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis is officially moving forward. Davis, who was indicted last week along with his wife Lori, is scheduled to be arraigned on September 19 in the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas.
👮 Summons Personally Served
On August 25, Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman personally served Commissioner Davis with a court summons and a copy of the indictment against him. The service of documents formally notifies Davis of the charges and his required court appearance.
👨⚖️ Judge Recusal and New Assignment
Scioto County Judge Mark Kuhn has formally recused himself from hearing the case. To avoid any appearance of conflict, the Ohio Supreme Court has appointed Retired Judge D. Dean Evans of Gallia County to preside.
Judge Evans, who previously served on the Gallia County Court of Common Pleas (General and Domestic Relations Division), was officially assigned to the case effective August 22, 2025. His assignment covers all proceedings in Case No. 25CR497A, State of Ohio v. Bryan Davis.
The Supreme Court’s order directs that the certificate of assignment be filed with the Clerk of Courts and included in the official court record.
📜 What That Means
- Arraignment Date: September 19, 2025
- Court: Scioto County Common Pleas, General Division
- Judge: The Hon. D. Dean Evans, appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court
- Assignment: Evans will handle all aspects of the case until its conclusion
⚡ The Bigger Picture
This update comes just days after Bryan Davis, and his wife Lori were indicted as part of the widening corruption scandal tied to former Economic Development Director Robert Horton.
Davis faces charges including:
- Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity
- Two Counts of Theft in Office
- Aggravated Theft
- Money Laundering
Lori Davis faces charges including money laundering, tampering with evidence, and receiving stolen property.
The indictments confirmed what many in the community suspected—that Bryan and Lori Davis were the unnamed “John and Jane Doe” co-conspirators linked to Horton.
📰 What’s Next
With an arraignment date set, a new judge assigned, and Sheriff Thoroughman having served the summons, the case against Commissioner Davis is officially moving forward.
But questions remain: will Davis remain in office while facing felony charges? Critics say his continued presence raises serious conflict-of-interest issues and undermines public trust in county government.
The Scioto County Daily News will continue to follow every development as this case heads toward court.