Davis, Horton Case: Bill of Particulars Examined

Quick List of Charges Against Bryan Davis 

According to the Bill of Particulars, Davis is charged with: 

1. Count 1 – Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity (F1) 

1. Count 2 – Theft in Office (F2) – large theft using his public office 

1. Count 3 – Theft in Office (F3) – taking/receiving stolen public money & false records 

1. Count 4 – Money Laundering (F3) 

1. Count 5 – Aggravated Theft (F3) – high-dollar theft by deception 

1. Count 6 – Tampering with Evidence (F3) – fake meeting minutes 

1. Count 7 – Attempted Tampering with Evidence (F4) – trying to alter business records 

1. Count 8 – Receiving Stolen Property (F4) – the $67,808.67 payment 

1. Count 9 – Forgery (F4) – creating fake O’Steel meeting minutes 

1. Count 10 – Forgery (F4) – using those fake minutes 

1. Count 11 – Obstructing Justice (F3) – interfering with the investigation 

1. Count 12 – Tampering with Records (F3) – federal tax return 

1. Count 13 – Filing Incomplete, False & Fraudulent Return (F5) – state tax return 

Count 1 (pattern of corrupt activity) is basically the umbrella charge that ties all the other conduct together into one long-running scheme. 

Alleged Timeline of Events & Related Charges 

2020–Early 2021 – “The Enterprise” (Overall Pattern) 

Counts involved: 1, 5, 11 

• Prosecutors say several people and companies —
  Bryan & Lori Davis, Robert & Lioubov Horton, SOPA, Scioto County Economic Development, Business #1, RPL Consulting, The Finder’s Network, O’Steel and others — acted together as an “enterprise.” 

• Purpose of that “enterprise,” according to the state: 

Steal money from SOPA and Minford Emergency Ambulance Service using padded contracts and fake “sales commissions,” then cover it up. 

• This long-running activity is what supports Count 1: Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity and also feeds into the theft and aggravated theft counts (Counts 2, 3, 5). 

March 21, 2021 – Davis Votes for $248,585.75 Transfer 

Counts involved: 1, 2, 5 

• As commissioner, Bryan Davis allegedly uses his office to help approve a deal between Scioto County/SOPA and Business #1 for a steel building at the SOAR Business Park. 

• He votes to approve the transfer of $248,585.75 in county funds as a down payment on that contract. 

• Prosecutors say he already knew at this time that: 

• Business #1 would pay fake “sales commissions” to RPL Consulting (Lioubov Horton’s company), 

• and that this was really a kickback scheme, not real commission work. 

👉 This flows into: 

• Count 2 – Theft in Office (F2) – using his public office to move that money. 

• Count 5 – Aggravated Theft (F3) – large-scale theft by deception. 

April 19, 2021 – $248,585.75 Downpayment Sent 

Counts involved: 1, 2, 5 

• The $248,585.75 downpayment is actually transferred to Business #1. 

• The state says this is when the theft “occurs” — public money going out on a contract that’s secretly padded to cover kickbacks. 

June–November 2021 – Series of Kickback Payments to RPL 

Counts involved: 1, 5 

Prosecutors list a series of payments from Business #1 to RPL Consulting (Lioubov Horton) that they say are kickbacks disguised as sales commissions: 

1. June 2, 2021 – $50,000 to RPL 

1. July 22, 2021 – $40,000 to RPL 

1. Sept. 13, 2021 – $16,500 wire to RPL 

1. Nov. 23, 2021 – $63,300 wire to RPL 

None of this money, prosecutors say, was for real sales work — it was public money routed through a contract and kicked back. 

👉 These payments are part of: 

• Count 1 – Pattern of Corrupt Activity 

• Count 5 – Aggravated Theft (total kickbacks they list eventually reach $360,417.34). 

2021–2022 – Minford EMS Contract 

Counts involved: 1, 5, 11 

• Horton is also project manager for a Minford Emergency Ambulance Service building at SOAR. 

• Prosecutors say he: 

• Promised Minford EMS he wasn’t getting paid, 

• Controlled the bidding, 

• Steered them to Business #1, 

• And again arranged for kickbacks to RPL hidden as “sales commissions.” 

• Davis is accused of using his influence to help secure that contract while knowing it was tied to the same kickback scheme. 

This supports aggravated theft and pattern of corrupt activity. 

August 5, 2022 – Meeting to “Cut Davis In” 

Counts involved: 1, 3, 4, 5, 11 

• Around Aug. 5, 2022, Davis, Lori, Robert & Lioubov Horton, and John Doe #1 allegedly meet in person to discuss including Bryan and Lori in additional business opportunities. 

• This is basically the meeting where, according to the state, the Davises are formally folded deeper into the money flow. 

August 18, 2022 – Davis Votes to Move $1.5 Million 

Counts involved: 1, 2, 4, 5 

• Davis, as commissioner, votes for a resolution to: 

• Transfer $1.5 million in county funds, 

• Give Horton control of that money for the SOAR project, 

• Without further approval or oversight from the commissioners. 

• Prosecutors say Davis knows: 

• The money will go to Business #1 

• And that kickbacks will be paid out as fake “sales commissions.” 

This is a key act for: 

• Count 2 – Theft in Office (F2) 

• Count 4 – Money Laundering 

• Count 5 – Aggravated Theft 

September 19–24, 2022 – The $67,808.67 Payments 

Counts involved: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 

• Sept. 19, 2022: SOPA sends two checks to Business #1 – 

• $166,000 

• $56,771 

• Sept. 23, 2022: Business #1 sends $67,808.67 to The Finder’s Network LLC (Lori Davis’s company). 

• Sept. 24, 2022: Business #1 sends $67,808.67 to RPL Consulting. 

Prosecutors say: 

• The Finder’s Network payment is public money Davis helped funnel and then spent for personal use, including: 

• Paying off a personal loan, 

• Paying for a Disney/Universal vacation, 

• Plus other food/hotel/travel. 

• This $67,808.67 is the core of: 

• Count 3 – Theft in Office (F3) 

• Count 4 – Money Laundering (F3) 

• Count 5 – Aggravated Theft (F3) 

• Count 8 – Receiving Stolen Property (F4) 

Sept. 2022 – O’Steel Building Systems LLC Created 

Counts involved: 1, 11 

• A few days after the payments, Lori Davis forms O’Steel Building Systems of Ohio LLC with Lioubov Horton and John Doe #1 listed as owners. 

• According to prosecutors: 

• O’Steel never opened a bank account 

• Never did business 

• Never took on contracts 

• They say the company existed mostly on paper and later became part of the cover story for the payments. 

January 2023–April 8, 2025 – Obstruction Period 

Counts involved: 1, 11 

During this span, the state says Davis repeatedly obstructed justice, including: 

• Encouraging people to keep Horton employed and with document access after a search warrant on his office. 

• Publicly making statements that, prosecutors say, mischaracterized the investigation into Horton & others. 

• Hosting a meeting at his house to: 

• Coordinate stories, 

• Create false documents, 

• Plan how to respond to investigators, 

• Encourage secret communications using “burner phones.” 

This is the backbone of Count 11 – Obstructing Justice (F3). 

September 2023 – Federal & State Tax Returns 

Counts involved: 1, 3, 12, 13 

Between Sept. 1–30, 2023, the state says Davis: 

• Federal return (Count 12 – Tampering with Records): 

• Filed a 2022 federal tax return that left out the $67,808.67 paid to The Finder’s Network LLC. 

• Prosecutors say this is falsifying a government record. 

• Ohio return (Count 13 – False Return): 

• Filed a 2022 Ohio state return that also did not report that income, 

• Which they say is filing an incomplete or false state tax return. 

January 2024 – Fake Minutes, Burner Phone & Record Tampering 

Counts involved: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 

Between Jan. 1–31, 2024, at a meeting at the Davis home, prosecutors say: 

• A group (Bryan & Lori Davis, Robert & Lioubov Horton, John Doe #1): 

• Agree to give false info to investigators. 

• Forge O’Steel meeting minutes and an operating agreement, backdating them to 2022 to make it look like the payments to The Finder’s Network were legit business expenses. 

• Sign and send those documents to state investigators. 

• Davis allegedly: 

• Helps draft the fake minutes, 

• Encourages others to sign and date them falsely, 

• Gets a burner phone and urges others to do the same to avoid traceable calls, 

• Tries to get Business #1’s accounting records changed to hide the source of the $67,808.67. 

These acts support: 

• Count 6 – Tampering with Evidence (F3) – using the fake minutes as evidence. 

• Count 7 – Attempted Tampering with Evidence (F4) – trying to alter Business #1’s books. 

• Count 9 – Forgery (F4) – creating the fake minutes. 

• Count 10 – Forgery (F4) – using those fake minutes. 

• Count 3 & 11 also pull in this same conduct. 

2021–2024 – Total Alleged Kickbacks 

Count 5 – Aggravated Theft (F3) sums up seven kickback transfers totaling $360,417.34, all allegedly disguised as “sales commissions” to RPL and Finder’s Network. 

Where Things Stand Now 

• Robert Horton – Has a status conference in court today, November 19. So far, his case has been inching along with status conferences instead of trial dates. 

• Bryan Davis – Is currently suspended and on paid leave from his commissioner role. His next court date is a pre-trial hearing on December 2. 

Both Davis and Horton have pleaded not guilty, and none of these allegations have been proven in court at this point.