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The police chief of a Greater Cincinnati village has been indicted on 70 felony sex abuse counts tied to alleged conduct spanning five years while he was a teacher and youth program instructor — with the Bethel mayor now moving to have him removed from the position.
Chad Essert, 44, of Blanchester, is the Bethel Ohio Police Chief Accused of Sexual Battery as a Former Scarlet Oaks Teacher who was arrested in Seminole, Florida, on June 11, 2026, following a secret indictment returned by a Clermont County grand jury. Essert faces 56 counts of sexual battery and 14 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 280 years in prison. Essert waived extradition and is being returned to Clermont County for arraignment.
According to prosecutors, the alleged abuse occurred between 2005 and 2010 when Essert served as an instructor for the Young Marines program and as a teacher at Scarlet Oaks Career Campus in Sharonville. The alleged victim was a student at the time. Prosecutors say the alleged incidents took place at multiple locations across Clermont and Hamilton counties.
Essert was placed on paid administrative leave on May 8, 2026, during an earlier investigation by the Clermont County Sheriff's Office, which ultimately closed that inquiry determining no crime had occurred. The current indictment stems from separate allegations that emerged independently and after that investigation was closed. Bethel Mayor JayDee Noble II announced he is deeply disturbed by the arrest and has initiated the statutory process to remove Essert from his position as police chief.
State records reveal a pattern of disciplinary issues across Essert's law enforcement career. He was fired from the North College Hill Police Department in 2004 during his probationary period for unsatisfactory performance. He resigned from the Elmwood Place Police Department in 2010 to avoid termination following accusations of sexual harassment and intimidating a witness. He was also fired from a special deputy role with the Brown County Sheriff's Office in 2015 for failing to meet agency standards and was convicted of disorderly conduct in 2020 after originally being charged with domestic violence. Essert became Bethel's police chief in fall 2021.
The factual information above was sourced from people.com as of June 22, 2026. The attorney commentary below is not specifically about the case reported above. Attorney commentary provided is information about these types of cases in the justice system.
When a public official such as a police chief is accused of sexual abuse stemming from a prior position of authority over minors, survivors may have significant civil legal options beyond the criminal process. Legal Herald editor Paul Amess spoke with Ohio sexual abuse attorney John Bey, Esq., about the civil legal avenues that may be available to survivors in cases involving alleged abuse by individuals who held multiple positions of public trust.
Paul Amess: John, when a person who has held multiple positions of public authority is accused of sexually abusing a minor during a prior role, what civil legal options may be available to survivors?
John Bey, Esq.: Cases involving alleged sexual abuse by someone who held positions of public trust — whether as a teacher, a youth program instructor, or a law enforcement officer — can give rise to significant civil claims. Survivors may have grounds to pursue civil action not only against the individual accused but potentially against any institution that placed that person in a position of authority over minors. When prior disciplinary history exists across multiple employers, it can raise important questions about what each institution knew and whether adequate protective measures were in place.
Paul Amess: In cases where an earlier investigation was closed before a subsequent indictment emerged from separate allegations, how does that affect the civil legal landscape for a survivor?
John Bey, Esq.: The closure of a prior investigation does not extinguish a survivor's civil legal rights. Civil claims operate independently of criminal investigations and are evaluated on their own facts and legal standards. A survivor whose allegations were previously not pursued criminally may still have meaningful civil options available to them, and speaking with an experienced attorney is the only way to know for certain what those options are.
Paul Amess: What would you say to a survivor in Ohio who experienced alleged abuse by someone in a position of public authority and is only now coming forward?
John Bey, Esq.: Coming forward takes courage, and no survivor should assume their legal options have expired without first speaking with an experienced attorney. Ohio law has evolved significantly regarding statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse, and early legal guidance gives survivors the clearest possible picture of their rights. An initial consultation is completely confidential and free of charge.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of sexual abuse or assault by a law enforcement officer, teacher, or any person in a position of public authority in Ohio, you may have the right to pursue civil action and recover financial compensation. Contact The Legal Herald today to be connected with an experienced Ohio sexual abuse attorney for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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