Former Uhrichsville mayor makes first court appearance in theft in office case
NEW PHILADELPHIA – Former Uhrichsville Mayor Mark Haney has entered not guilty pleas to charges accusing him of receiving improper compensation.
Haney had an arraignment hearing on Wednesday in the courtroom of Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Judge Elizabeth Thomakos, who read the four counts from a July 11th Grand Jury indictment. They are theft in office, a fourth-degree felony, two counts of tampering with records, third-degree felonies, and soliciting improper compensation, a misdemeanor.
Haney was allowed to leave the courtroom on his own recognizance.
The judge scheduled a telephone pretrial for Oct. 6.
The State Auditor’s Office announced Haney’s indictment in a July 15th press release. It says the auditor’s Special Investigations Unit launched an investigation in January 2024 after receiving a complaint “alleging Haney improperly received reimbursements for meals, mileage, and other purchases and that he had used city credit cards on personal purchases.”
Haney served one term as Uhrichsville’s mayor. He was defeated in the 2023 democratic primary by current mayor Jim Zucal. The theft in office charge is a fourth-degree felony, indicating the value of the property or services involved is between $1,000 and $7,500.
Press Release • Ohio Auditor of State
Former Uhrichsville Mayor Indicted Following Auditor of State’s Office Investigation Into Improper Reimbursements
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
COLUMBUS — A former mayor of the city of Uhrichsville has been indicted on four criminal counts following an investigation into improper reimbursements he received.
The Tuscarawas County Grand Jury handed down the indictment against Mark Haney, with two felony counts of tampering with records, one felony count of theft in office, and a misdemeanor count of accepting or receiving unlawful compensation. An arraignment in the case is scheduled for Aug. 13 in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court.
The Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) launched an investigation in January 2024 after receiving a complaint alleging Haney improperly received reimbursements for meals, mileage, and other purchases and that he had used city credit cards on personal purchases.
Since 2019, the Special Investigations Unit has assisted in 142 convictions resulting in more than $13 million in restitution (see Map of SIU Convictions since January 2019). The team receives hundreds of tips of suspected fraud annually. Tips can be submitted anonymously online or via SIU’s fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).