Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis Pleads Guilty to Theft in Office, Other Felonies
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis pleaded guilty Monday to multiple felony charges stemming from an investigation into a public contracting scheme involving the Southern Ohio Port Authority and the Southern Ohio Aeronautical Regional (SOAR) Business Park.
According to the Ohio Auditor of State's Office, Davis pleaded guilty in Scioto County Common Pleas Court to theft in office, receiving stolen property, and filing an incomplete or false tax return.
His wife, Lorinda Davis, pleaded guilty to one felony count of tampering with evidence.
The couple entered their pleas during a hearing Monday morning and are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16.
As part of the plea agreement, Bryan Davis will pay approximately $67,000 in restitution, and prosecutors have recommended a prison sentence.
The charges stem from a 2025 investigation conducted by the Ohio Auditor of State's Special Investigations Unit after a complaint alleged an unlawful interest in a public contract between the Southern Ohio Port Authority and an out-of-state company for construction at the SOAR Business Park, located adjacent to the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport.
According to the Auditor of State's Office, the indictment alleged Davis used his position as a county commissioner to help secure the public contract and the public funding associated with the project.
"The people involved in this case used their positions to line their own pockets and then tried to hide their crimes," Ohio Auditor Keith Faber said. "Today's pleas are a first step toward justice for the people of Scioto County and a warning for anyone else thinking about abusing the public trust."
The criminal case against Robert Horton, the former head of the Southern Ohio Port Authority and the Scioto County Economic Development Department, and his wife remains pending in Scioto County Common Pleas Court.
According to the indictment, Horton is accused of receiving kickbacks in connection with the SOAR Business Park construction contract.
Davis had previously been suspended from his position as county commissioner while the criminal case was pending. With his felony conviction, he will be removed from office and barred from holding public office in the future, according to the Auditor of State's Office.
The Ohio Auditor of State's Special Investigations Unit served as the special prosecutor in the case after being appointed by the Scioto County Prosecutor.
