When it comes to criminal charges, the law is supposed to apply equally to everyone. But a closer look at recent cases in Pike and Scioto Counties has many asking if that’s really the case.
Different Defendants, Different Handling
In the ongoing Scioto County Commissioners scandal, Commissioner Bryan Davis and Former Economic Development Director Robert Horton—along with their wives—are facing serious charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, the exact same top charge leveled against spa owner Haley Borders (also known as Haley Schackart).
But the way the cases were handled couldn’t look more different.
Davis and Horton: Both men, along with their wives, were allowed to appear in court, agree to a recognizance bond, and then quietly go to the jail for fingerprinting. There were no mugshots released, no jail booking photographs in orange jumpsuits, and no press release from the Sheriff’s Office announcing their arrests.
Borders: By contrast, when Borders was arrested on her indictments tied to non-FDA-approved weight loss injections at her Waverly spa, the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release complete with her mugshot. That release was sent to local media outlets, ensuring her arrest was immediately broadcast to the community.
Supporters Cry Foul
Many of Borders’ supporters say the unequal treatment is blatant. “It’s ridiculous,” one supporter said,. The contrast raises uncomfortable questions about who gets protected from public embarrassment and who doesn’t. Why were high-profile elected officials treated with kid gloves while a small business owner was publicly shamed?
Making an Example?
Some speculate that law enforcement is trying to send a message by highlighting Borders’ arrest. With the booming popularity of weight-loss injections like Ozempic and Wegovy, a shadow market of spas and wellness clinics offering unapproved injections has taken hold across Ohio. Prosecutors and regulators may be aiming to make an example of Borders to warn other non-medical facilities: stop offering these treatments or face the same fate.
But if that’s the case, critics argue, law enforcement is choosing its “examples” selectively protecting powerful public figures while harshly spotlighting others.
A Question of Equal Justice
The charges against Borders are serious. So are the charges against Davis, Horton, and their wives. But the starkly different handling of the cases leaves the public to wonder: in Scioto County, does equal justice really mean equal treatment?
