The corruption cases involving Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis and former Economic Development Director Robert Horton are still crawling through the courts — and both saw minor updates this month.
Davis Allowed Limited Contact with County Employee
Commissioner Bryan Davis, who’s been indicted on multiple corruption charges and is currently on voluntary paid leave, requested a small change to his bond conditions.
Davis’s bond originally barred him from having any contact with county employees, but he asked the court to make one exception — to allow him to speak with his sister-in-law, who works for the county.
Judge Howard Harcha approved the request, modifying the terms of his recognizance bond to permit contact with that one relative only.
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Court Delays Continue
Davis’s pre-trial conference, which took place on October 21, didn’t move things forward much. The only decision to come out of the hearing was to schedule another pre-trial conference for December 2 in Scioto County Common Pleas Court.
That means there’s still no word yet on when Davis — or his co-defendant and wife Lori Davis — might go to trial.
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The Horton Case: More Waiting
The related corruption case against Robert Horton and his wife Lioubov is also still in a holding pattern. Their most recent status conference resulted in yet another delay, with the next hearing now set for November 19.
Horton, the former head of the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA), is accused of setting up fake business deals to funnel public funds into private pockets — a scheme that prosecutors say also involved Bryan and Lori Davis.
The Big Picture
- Bryan Davis faces charges including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft in office, aggravated theft, and money laundering.
- Lori Davis is charged with money laundering, tampering with evidence, and receiving stolen property.
- Robert Horton faces theft in office, aggravated theft, money laundering, bribery, and tampering with public records.
- Lioubov Horton faces telecommunications fraud and tampering with evidence.
Both couples have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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The County’s Left Waiting, Too
While the legal process drags on, the Scioto County government is still adjusting to life with an empty commissioner’s chair. Bryan Davis remains on paid leave, meaning he’s still collecting his $64,000 annual salary until the case is resolved — money he’ll have to repay if he’s convicted.
Meanwhile, county leaders are pushing ahead with a plan to restructure economic development after years of turmoil tied to the Horton scandal and Davis’s indictment.
