CLERMONT COUNTY — The Ohio police chief who was arrested in Florida after being indicted on dozens of sexual misconduct charges is back in Ohio.
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Bethel Police Chief Chad Essert, 44, was extradited to Ohio and booked into the Clermont County Jail on Thursday, according to an update from the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office and Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office.
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As previously reported, Essert is facing 56 counts of sexual battery and 14 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
Our news partners at WCPO reported that Essert was first placed on administrative leave pending an investigation on May 8.
A week later, on May 15, the sheriff’s office released its findings, but said “no criminal act was found.”
The Village of Bethel also conducted its own investigation.
The alleged offenses happened between 2005 and 2010 while he served as an instructor at the Young Marines and as a teacher at Scarlet Oaks in Sharonville, Ohio.
“The victim was a student of Essert’s during that timeframe and the offenses occurred in multiple locations throughout Clermont and Hamilton County,” according to the joint statement.
Essert was taken into custody by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Investigations Section in Seminole, Florida, last week.
He’ll remain in custody pending further court proceedings and is scheduled to be arraigned in Clermont County Common Pleas Court on Monday afternoon.
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