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Belmont County Judge Lifts Couple’s No-Contact Order

Photo by Robert A. DeFrank Dawn Lee, accused of theft in office offenses at York Township and the York Township Water Authority, appears Monday in Belmont County Common Pleas Court. Meanwhile, the no-contact order between her and her husband, Ryan Lee, was lifted.

Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra ruled Monday to release the no-contact order on a husband and wife accused of stealing nearly $100,000 from York Township and the York Water Authority.

Dawn Lee, 47, and Ryan Reed Lee, 49, may have contact with each other as a result of the ruling. Court records list them as residing on Chestnut Street. The defense had requested the no-contact order be lifted on the grounds that the expense incurred by forcing them to find separate residences was a burden and they each faced obstacles to preparing a defense because they share records.

Stephanie Anderson, public integrity officer with the Ohio State Auditor’s office assigned to prosecute the case, said she had no objection to releasing the no-contact order.

No plea agreements have been reached. Dawn Lee’s trial remains set for Aug. 28, and Ryan Lee’s trial for Aug. 21.

Co-defendant Irma Shreffler, 69, of 54129 Powhatan Hill Road, Dawn Lee’s mother, is also set for trial Aug. 14. The no-contact order for her remains.

Dawn Lee had served as fiscal officer for York Township and the York Water Authority. She faces 27 felony charges and a maximum of 52 years in prison. Among these charges are 15 counts of theft in office; one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity; two counts of theft; seven counts of failure to remit income taxes or withholding taxes for the employees, township and water authority to the state; one count of tampering with records; and one count of failing to file her own personal income taxes.

The charges arose from accusations of misuse of township credit cards, overpayment of wages, miscellaneous reimbursements, failing to file income tax returns, and failure by Lee to remit income taxes she collected from the township and water authority employees.

The state believes about $90,000 was stolen from the township and about $8,000 from the water authority.

Ryan Lee is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, receiving stolen property, complicity to theft in office, failure to file tax returns, receiving stolen property and theft in office. He faces a maximum of 19 years in prison.

The state believes he accepted payments from the township for work not performed. Ryan Lee also allegedly was paid in excess of what is permitted for work as a meter reader/meter technician for the water authority.

Shreffler is charged with two counts of receiving stolen property for receiving payment from her daughter for work that she did not perform at the township. Shreffler also faces charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, complicity to commit theft in office and failure to file income taxes, all felonies. She faces a maximum of 11 1/2 years in prison.

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