2006 Ohio Revised Code - 2921.41. Theft in office; restitution; withholding of retirement benefits.

§ 2921.41. Theft in office; restitution; withholding of retirement benefits.
 

(A)  No public official or party official shall commit any theft offense, as defined in division (K) of section 2913.01 of the Revised Code, when either of the following applies: 

(1) The offender uses the offender's office in aid of committing the offense or permits or assents to its use in aid of committing the offense; 

(2) The property or service involved is owned by this state, any other state, the United States, a county, a municipal corporation, a township, or any political subdivision, department, or agency of any of them, is owned by a political party, or is part of a political campaign fund. 

(B)  Whoever violates this section is guilty of theft in office. Except as otherwise provided in this division, theft in office is a felony of the fifth degree. If the value of property or services stolen is five hundred dollars or more and is less than five thousand dollars, theft in office is a felony of the fourth degree. If the value of property or services stolen is five thousand dollars or more, theft in office is a felony of the third degree. 

(C) (1)  A public official or party official who is convicted of or pleads guilty to theft in office is forever disqualified from holding any public office, employment, or position of trust in this state. 

(2) (a) A court that imposes sentence for a violation of this section based on conduct described in division (A)(2) of this section shall require the public official or party official who is convicted of or pleads guilty to the offense to make restitution for all of the property or the service that is the subject of the offense, in addition to the term of imprisonment and any fine imposed. A court that imposes sentence for a violation of this section based on conduct described in division (A)(1) of this section and that determines at trial that this state or a political subdivision of this state if the offender is a public official, or a political party in the United States or this state if the offender is a party official, suffered actual loss as a result of the offense shall require the offender to make restitution to the state, political subdivision, or political party for all of the actual loss experienced, in addition to the term of imprisonment and any fine imposed. 

(b) (i) In any case in which a sentencing court is required to order restitution under division (C)(2)(a) of this section and in which the offender, at the time of the commission of the offense or at any other time, was a member of the public employees retirement system, the Ohio police and fire pension fund, the state teachers retirement system, the school employees retirement system, or the state highway patrol retirement system; was an electing employee, as defined in section 3305.01 of the Revised Code, participating in an alternative retirement plan provided pursuant to Chapter 3305. of the Revised Code; was a participating employee or continuing member, as defined in section 148.01 of the Revised Code, in a deferred compensation program offered by the Ohio public employees deferred compensation board; was an officer or employee of a municipal corporation who was a participant in a deferred compensation program offered by that municipal corporation; was an officer or employee of a government unit, as defined in section 148.06 of the Revised Code, who was a participant in a deferred compensation program offered by that government unit, or was a participating employee, continuing member, or participant in any deferred compensation program described in this division and a member of a retirement system specified in this division or a retirement system of a municipal corporation, the entity to which restitution is to be made may file a motion with the sentencing court specifying any retirement system, any provider as defined in section 3305.01 of the Revised Code, and any deferred compensation program of which the offender was a member, electing employee, participating employee, continuing member, or participant and requesting the court to issue an order requiring the specified retirement system, the specified provider under the alternative retirement plan, or the specified deferred compensation program, or, if more than one is specified in the motion, the applicable combination of these, to withhold the amount required as restitution from any payment that is to be made under a pension, annuity, or allowance, under an option in the alternative retirement plan, under a participant account, as defined in section 148.01 of the Revised Code, or under any other type of benefit, other than a survivorship benefit, that has been or is in the future granted to the offender, from any payment of accumulated employee contributions standing to the offender's credit with that retirement system, that provider of the option under the alternative retirement plan, or that deferred compensation program, or, if more than one is specified in the motion, the applicable combination of these, and from any payment of any other amounts to be paid to the offender upon the offender's withdrawal of the offender's contributions pursuant to Chapter 145., 148., 742., 3307., 3309., or 5505. of the Revised Code. A motion described in this division may be filed at any time subsequent to the conviction of the offender or entry of a guilty plea. Upon the filing of the motion, the clerk of the court in which the motion is filed shall notify the offender, the specified retirement system, the specified provider under the alternative retirement plan, or the specified deferred compensation program, or, if more than one is specified in the motion, the applicable combination of these, in writing, of all of the following: that the motion was filed; that the offender will be granted a hearing on the issuance of the requested order if the offender files a written request for a hearing with the clerk prior to the expiration of thirty days after the offender receives the notice; that, if a hearing is requested, the court will schedule a hearing as soon as possible and notify the offender, any specified retirement system, any specified provider under an alternative retirement plan, and any specified deferred compensation program of the date, time, and place of the hearing; that, if a hearing is conducted, it will be limited only to a consideration of whether the offender can show good cause why the requested order should not be issued; that, if a hearing is conducted, the court will not issue the requested order if the court determines, based on evidence presented at the hearing by the offender, that there is good cause for the requested order not to be issued; that the court will issue the requested order if a hearing is not requested or if a hearing is conducted but the court does not determine, based on evidence presented at the hearing by the offender, that there is good cause for the requested order not to be issued; and that, if the requested order is issued, any retirement system, any provider under an alternative retirement plan, and any deferred compensation program specified in the motion will be required to withhold the amount required as restitution from payments to the offender. 

(ii) In any case in which a sentencing court is required to order restitution under division (C)(2)(a) of this section and in which a motion requesting the issuance of a withholding order as described in division (C)(2)(b)(i) of this section is filed, the offender may receive a hearing on the motion by delivering a written request for a hearing to the court prior to the expiration of thirty days after the offender's receipt of the notice provided pursuant to division (C)(2)(b)(i) of this section. If a request for a hearing is made by the offender within the prescribed time, the court shall schedule a hearing as soon as possible after the request is made and shall notify the offender, the specified retirement system, the specified provider under the alternative retirement plan, or the specified deferred compensation program, or, if more than one is specified in the motion, the applicable combination of these, of the date, time, and place of the hearing. A hearing scheduled under this division shall be limited to a consideration of whether there is good cause, based on evidence presented by the offender, for the requested order not to be issued. If the court determines, based on evidence presented by the offender, that there is good cause for the order not to be issued, the court shall deny the motion and shall not issue the requested order. If the offender does not request a hearing within the prescribed time or if the court conducts a hearing but does not determine, based on evidence presented by the offender, that there is good cause for the order not to be issued, the court shall order the specified retirement system, the specified provider under the alternative retirement plan, or the specified deferred compensation program, or, if more than one is specified in the motion, the applicable combination of these, to withhold the amount required as restitution under division (C)(2)(a) of this section from any payments to be made under a pension, annuity, or allowance, under a participant account, as defined in section 148.01 of the Revised Code, under an option in the alternative retirement plan, or under any other type of benefit, other than a survivorship benefit, that has been or is in the future granted to the offender, from any payment of accumulated employee contributions standing to the offender's credit with that retirement system, that provider under the alternative retirement plan, or that deferred compensation program, or, if more than one is specified in the motion, the applicable combination of these, and from any payment of any other amounts to be paid to the offender upon the offender's withdrawal of the offender's contributions pursuant to Chapter 145., 148., 742., 3307., 3309., or 5505. of the Revised Code, and to continue the withholding for that purpose, in accordance with the order, out of each payment to be made on or after the date of issuance of the order, until further order of the court. Upon receipt of an order issued under this division, the public employees retirement system, the Ohio police and fire pension fund, the state teachers retirement system, the school employees retirement system, the state highway patrol retirement system, a municipal corporation retirement system, the provider under the alternative retirement plan, and the deferred compensation program offered by the Ohio public employees deferred compensation board, a municipal corporation, or a government unit, as defined in section 148.06 of the Revised Code, whichever are applicable, shall withhold the amount required as restitution, in accordance with the order, from any such payments and immediately shall forward the amount withheld to the clerk of the court in which the order was issued for payment to the entity to which restitution is to be made. 

(iii) Service of a notice required by division (C)(2)(b)(i) or (ii) of this section shall be effected in the same manner as provided in the Rules of Civil Procedure for the service of process. 

(D)  Upon the filing of charges against a person under this section, the prosecutor, as defined in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code, who is assigned the case shall send written notice that charges have been filed against that person to the public employees retirement system, the Ohio police and fire pension fund, the state teachers retirement system, the school employees retirement system, the state highway patrol retirement system, the provider under an alternative retirement plan, any municipal corporation retirement system in this state, and the deferred compensation program offered by the Ohio public employees deferred compensation board, a municipal corporation, or a government unit, as defined in section 148.06 of the Revised Code. The written notice shall specifically identify the person charged. 
 

HISTORY: 134 v H 511 (Eff 1-1-74); 140 v H 265 (Eff 9-20-84); 144 v S 300 (Eff 11-5-92); 146 v S 2 (Eff 7-1-96); 146 v H 586 (Eff 3-31-97); 148 v H 222 (Eff 11-2-99); 148 v H 628 (Eff 9-21-2000); 148 v H 535. Eff 4-1-2001.
 

The effective date is set by section 13(A) of HB 535. 

 

19xx Committee Report or Comment.

1974 Committee Comment to H 511

In essence, this section defines a species of "aggravated" theft, by adding two elements to any given theft offense. See, section 2913.01 of the Revised Code for a definition of "theft offense." If the offender is a public servant or a party official who either uses his office to commit or facilitate commission of the theft, or if the property involved is public property, belongs to a political party, or is part of a political campaign fund, then the public servant or party official is guilty of an offense under this section. 

Violation of this section carries a more stringent penalty than any theft offense as such and, in addition, the offender is permanently disqualified from holding a public office or position of trust. 

Theft in office is a felony of the third degree.