COLUMBUS, OH – A Pickaway County Grand Jury has indicted Salt Creek Township Trustee James E. Fox on serious allegations of misconduct, according to a filing in Pickaway County Common Pleas Court on Friday, June 13, 2025. Fox faces two felony counts of theft in office and one misdemeanor count of soliciting or accepting improper compensation, stemming from claims that he misused township resources for personal gain.
The charges follow an investigation by the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which began after Fox publicly admitted during a March 2024 meeting that he had used a township-owned truck and gravel to address flooding issues at his son’s property. The SIU, known for tackling public corruption, has supported 138 convictions since 2019, leading to over $13 million in restitution.
Fox is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on July 9. The SIU continues to encourage tips on suspected fraud, which can be submitted anonymously online or through their fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).
