ATHENS, Ohio — As anticipated, an Athens County grand jury on Monday indicted former Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jean Demosky on numerous counts related to allegations of theft in office.
What was not expected was the accompanying indictment of Athens County Commissioner Charlie Adkins on a single count of intimidation in the case.
Demosky was arrested and arraigned on Friday, April 3, on a single charge of theft in office, a third-degree felony. During the arraignment, Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said his office expected to file additional charges against her.
Monday’s indictment of Demosky listed eight charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony; one first-degree felony count of theft in office; and two counts of intimidation, a third-degree felony.
Adkins’ indictment alleges that he attempted “to influence, intimidate, or hinder a public servant, party official, or witness in the discharge of the person’s duty.” Other than a time frame between Aug. 1, 2025, and April 3, 2026, the indictment does not describe Adkins’ alleged actions. His arraignment is set for 8:45 a.m. next Wednesday, April 15.
Late Monday afternoon, the prosecutor’s office filed a motion to amend Demosky’s indictment, stating that the original indictment was a draft that was filed accidentally. The amended indictment includes additional information about her and Adkins’ alleged intimidation of JFS employees:
A whistleblower letter was sent to the Athens County Commissioners in September of 2025 alleging the misdoings of Demosky. As a result, Demosky and Charlie Adkins then began interrogating employees of ACDJFS to determine who wrote the letter. Employees were also threatened that their handwriting would be submitted for handwriting analysis. … Demosky’s retaliatory reactions to employees bringing issues to her or other’s attention tracked on creating an environment of intimidation.
Adkins attended the commissioners’ meeting Tuesday. He abstained from votes pertaining to JFS at the meeting. He also did not participate in the four executive sessions pertaining to JFS.
Blackburn filed a petition Monday to appoint a special prosecutor to Adkins’ case, “due to the appearance of a conflict of interest.”
“I guess I was just shocked,” Adkins told the Independent in an interview Tuesday. “So we’ll see what happens and go forward.” Adkins said he intends to carry on as a commissioner.
The commissioners did not discuss Adkins’ indictment at their meeting.
Commissioner Lenny Eliason declined to comment on Adkins’ indictment. Eliason said he did not know the circumstances surrounding Adkins’ indictment, and did not yet know what his indictment says. Commissioner Chris Chmiel told the Independent, in reference to Adkins’ indictment, “You’re innocent until proven guilty.”
While Chmiel said he wanted to do more research on how to best handle Adkins’ indictment on the county commission, he said he currently plans to “wait and see how things play out.”
“Right now, I’m just wanting to focus on making sure that JFS is moving in the right direction, and focusing on our mission to help people that need help,” Chmiel said.
Demosky’s grand jury indictment reiterates what the prosecutor alleged at her arraignment. Blackburn alleges that she created a nonprofit, the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services Community Cares Fund, and fraudulently utilized money from state-federal reimbursement dollars, county credit cards, county employee labor, and more, to support its operations.
“An audit performed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services found that Demosky’s use of ACDJFS’s employees to do work for the nonprofit have cost the taxpayers of Athens County in excess of one million dollars,” Demosky’s amended indictment states.
The county must repay the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services nearly $2.6 million over the next 15 years, according to a draft repayment agreement requested by the Independent.
An email obtained via public records request shows that on March 13 the state informed county officials how it came to that figure, specifically pointing to millions overdrawn from a federally funded state program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF.
“Under the direction of Demosky, ACDJFS spent TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), local and other restricted funds to purchase items intended for non-eligible recipients,” the indictment states. “The expenses for the TANF eligible recipients were paid by ACDJFS, billed to the nonprofit and remained unpaid under the direction of Demosky. The amount is in excess of $50,000.”
On Tuesday, the Athens County Commissioners removed Demosky from her position due to her indictment. The commissioners appointed Keith Wiens as interim director.
“I am honored, and I will take the responsibility very seriously and do whatever is needed to be done to restore integrity to Athens County Job and Family Services,” Wiens told the Independent in an interview. “I will do my best.”
Wiens is the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency Administrator and Lead Attorney. Wiens’ department recently lost five positions to layoffs earlier this year, amid the agency’s uncertain fiscal emergency.
“We are resilient. … It’s been a difficult eight months for the agency, and I’m looking forward to all the facts coming to light as to how we got in our financial situation,” Wiens said. “I will not do this by myself, and I look forward to working with the commissioners and with the JFS staff.”
Chmiel said he was glad to see Wiens appointed to the position. Chmiel said that through Wiens’ outspoken opposition to the county’s cuts to the Child Support Enforcement Agency, “he’s proven himself as a wise counsel.”
Note: This story has been updated since its initial publication to include comment from Chmiel.
