Former Uhrichsville mayor sentenced on theft charge

Former Uhrichsville Mayor Mark Haney was ordered to serve 10 days in jail and pay more than $15,000 in restitution when he was sentenced on theft charges June 2.

In addition, he must serve 60 days of house arrest and has been placed on one year of probation. One of the charges he was found guilty of also carries a seven-year prohibition on holding public office.

Among the accusations against him were that he charged mileage for 18 meetings he did not attend and charged personal items on the city credit card.

“I’m willing to take whatever punishment I have to take, to pay back the money I was overpaid supposedly, but I feel all the rest of it is nonsense,” Haney told Common Pleas Judge Michael Ernest before sentencing. “If I’m guilty of it, I’m guilty. If they say I was overpaid, I’ll admit to that.”

In imposing sentence, the judge said, “Any governmental employee, whether you are the lowest in maintenance or the mayor of the city, the property isn’t yours personally to take home and use to benefit yourself personally. You're there to look out for the residents, and I don’t believe you were on those occasions.”

The restitution includes $5,447.31 to the city of Uhrichsville and $10,537 for the cost of an audit conducted in the case.

Haney, who served one term as mayor from 2019 to 2023, was indicted by the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit after it launched an investigation in January 2024 after receiving a complaint alleging Haney improperly received reimbursements for meals, mileage and other purchases and that he had used city credit cards on personal purchases.

The former mayor had originally been charged with one count of theft in office, a fourth-degree felony; two counts of tampering with records, a third-degree felony; and one count of soliciting improper compensation, a first-degree misdemeanor.

As part of a plea agreement, the state reduced the theft in office charge to theft, a fifth-degree felony, and dropped the tampering with records charges. Haney pleaded guilty to those charges in March.

His defense attorney, Christopher DeLaCruz, noted that a key witness in the case, former Uhrichsville Auditor Michael Maurer, died before he could provide testimony that might have explained Haney’s actions. Maurer died in May 2024.

Several area residents attended the hearing to speak on Haney’s behalf.

They included Belle Everett, a former Tuscarawas County commissioner who later served as Uhrichsville’s director of city services in Haney’s administration.

“Throughout my time working with Mark Haney, I have found him to be dedicated to the city of Uhrichsville and committed to the citizens of the city,” she told Judge Ernest. “I never observed him intentionally act against the interests of the city or its employees or its citizens.”

Lois Grandison, who owns Ember Complete Care in Uhrichsville and serves on the Claymont Board of Education, said when Haney was mayor, he would take care of any problems that arose with the school or her business.

“His integrity and his support to our community is extremely important,” she told the judge.

Grandison added, “Even though this has been detrimental to his family, he’s still willing to come out and still do things in the community, still holding his head proud and is still there for everybody.”

Uhrichsville Mayor Jim Zucal, sent a letter to the court May 14 to express his disappointment in the plea deal with Haney.

“Theft in office was the correct charge and should have remained,” Zucal wrote. “Mr. Haney should have been convicted of theft in office so that he could not be a candidate for any public office whether appointed or elected anywhere or at any time.”

Zucal concluded the letter by saying that Haney should apologize to the citizens of Uhrichsville for his activity. “Unfortunately, we have not observed any sign of remorse.”

Judge Ernest gave Haney 30 days to schedule his jail time.