Former Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis is asking a judge to sentence him to probation rather than prison following his guilty plea in a public corruption case, while state prosecutors have agreed to recommend probation for his wife and co-defendant, Lori Davis.
In a sentencing memorandum filed on September 10, 2026, in the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas, defense counsel for the 55-year-old former commissioner requested a sentence of five years of community control, full financial restitution, and a lifetime ban from holding public office. His sentencing hearing before Visiting Judge D. Dean Evans is scheduled for 10am on September 16, 2026.
Plea Agreements and Prosecution Recommendations
Bryan Davis pleaded guilty on July 20, 2026, to three felony counts: theft in office (third-degree felony), receiving stolen property (fourth-degree felony), and filing a false tax return (fifth-degree felony). Prosecutors are expected to dismiss the remaining 10 counts of a 13-count indictment returned by a grand jury in August 2025.
Under the terms of the plea deal, the State of Ohio agreed to recommend a prison term of unspecified length for Bryan Davis. However, the agreement explicitly provides that the State will recommend a community control sanction (probation) for his wife and co-defendant, Lori Davis.
Origins of the Investigation and Kickback Scheme
The criminal charges stemmed from an investigation initiated by the Ohio Attorney General and later transferred to the Ohio Auditor’s Office regarding bid rigging and public contract issues involving the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA) and its director, Robert Horton.
According to court filings, Horton controlled contract bidding for projects such as the Southern Ohio Aeronautical Regional (SOAR) Business Park and orchestrated a kickback arrangement with South Carolina vendor O’Steel Building Systems.
In September 2022, Lori Davis established an LLC named The Finder’s Network, LLC, intending to enter a business venture with O’Steel’s owner and Horton’s wife. Although no commercial business was officially transacted through the entity, O’Steel transferred $67,808.67 into The Finder’s Network bank account from SOPA project change orders funded in part by a $1.5 million county allocation.
Bryan Davis acknowledged in the filing that he had reasonable cause to know the payment to his wife’s LLC was derived from theft by deception, admitting he compounded the error by failing to initially disclose or account for the income.
Defense Arguments for Probation and Sentenced Disparity
Defense attorney Matthew L. O’Leary argued that imposing prison time on Bryan Davis would create an unfair sentencing disparity compared to co-defendant Robert Horton. The defense noted that Horton, who allegedly orchestrated the scheme and received over $292,000 in kickbacks, entered a cooperation agreement with the state in exchange for a recommendation of community control.
Highlighting Davis’s lack of a prior criminal record, 20-year history as a church pastor, and deep personal regret, the defense requested that the court order five years of community control, $67,808.67 in restitution to Scioto County, $512.50 in audit costs to the Ohio Auditor, community service, forfeiture of state pension contributions, and a lifetime ban from public office.