Clark County deputy indicted on insurance fraud charge
Bill Lackey
Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy William Gibson walks through the jail cell modules in the Clark County Jail in 2014. Bill Lackey/Staff
Deputy William Gibson
By Katherine Collins
Staff Writer
A Clark County deputy has retired after he was charged with insurance fraud.
William Gibson is accused of filing a false insurance claim after a car crash, Clark County Prosecutor Andy Wilson said. A Clark County grand jury indicted Gibson this week.
“I’m disappointed,” Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly said. “This is not how we conduct ourselves.”
The sheriff’s office was notified of the investigation into the fraudulent claim on Tuesday, Kelly said, and of the indictment on Wednesday. Gibson was placed on leave, Kelly said, and then chose to retire.
“This certainly will have a long and lasting implication on his career,” Kelly said. “It’s over and he’s going to have to deal with the court at this point.”
Gibson didn’t return calls for comment from the Springfield News-Sun.
He served with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office for 26 years and was most recently assigned to the jail division. A retirement board will determine if Gibson will receive his benefits, Kelly said.
Gibson would have faced an internal investigation if he hadn’t retired, the sheriff said.
“There would’ve been serious discipline as consequences for these violations,” he said. “All deputies are supposed to adhere to all laws, rules and regulations. And they take an oath to that effect.”
Last month a Clark County deputy was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired, according to court records. Steven Elliott was transferred to the jail division, where he isn’t required to drive as part of his duties, Ben Hunt, human relations manager with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, previously told the Springfield News-Sun.
“It is not a trend,” Kelly said of the recent criminal charges against two deputies. “I think my record speaks for itself that we uphold our law enforcement officers to a higher standard.”
But deputies are human, he said, and make mistakes.
“They make bad decisions,” he said. “They have even more severe penalties because of the higher standard they’re held to.”
Gibson appeared in Clark County Common Pleas Court on Friday and was offered a continuance until next week. He didn’t enter a plea to the charge of insurance fraud. If convicted, he likely won’t face prison time because he has no prior criminal record, Wilson said.