Standing in front of sign that once read "Pat Kelly, Sheriff," Rodney Smith was sworn in as Athens County's Interim Replacement Sheriff.
Smith, sworn in to office Wednesday morning by Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn, had previously served as acting sheriff immediately following the suspension of Sheriff Pat Kelly, who was forced to step aside by a state commission appointed by Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor.
In the acting sheriff job, Smith was appointed by the county commissioners. For the interim replacement sheriff job, he was selected — by a wide margin — by county Democrats.
Kelly, 63, of The Plains, was indicted on 25 criminal charges — 23 of them felonies — by a special grand jury in January. Kelly, a Democrat, was re-elected to office in 2012, starting his second term.
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