Eric Lagatta

Reporter

HOCKING COUNTY - A criminal defense attorney has been indicted on multiple charges in the same court in which he was hoping to prosecute cases.

Jason A. Sarver is still listed as a Republican candidate for prosecutor in Hocking County, according to the county board of elections website. But a grand jury indicted him on 18 charges, including sexual battery, obstructing justice, bribery, intimidation of an attorney, victim or witness, trafficking in drugs and breaking and entering.

He is running against Democrat Kyle Henderson.

The Times Recorder left a message for Sarver on Tuesday morning that was not returned.

Sarver's attorney did not return a call to the Times Recorder to comment on the indictment or Sarver's candidacy for elected office. The 36-year-old Rockbridge man has represented defendants in Perry County, Times Recorder archives show, and has served as the village solicitor in Corning and New Straitsville.

Sarver, a criminal defense attorney who handles court-appointed cases in Hocking County, is suspected of engaging in sexual conduct with a client more than once, according to a Feb. 24 news release from Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn, who is the special prosecutor in the case.

Blackburn's office initially filed two charges of sexual battery against Sarver after his office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Hocking County Sheriff's Office investigated the alleged crimes.

A grand jury then indicted Sarver on Feb. 29 on an additional 16 charges, including two counts of obstructing justice, a fifth-degree felony, two counts of bribery, a third-degree felony, three counts of sexual battery, a third-degree felony, three counts of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony, intimidation of an attorney, witness or victim, a third-degree felony, the illegal possession of a gun, a third-degree felony, trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony and theft, a fifth-degree felony.

He also faces several misdemeanor charges for petty theft, compounding a crime, soliciting improper compensation and interfering with civil rights.

The alleged crimes took place on multiple dates between Sept. 11, 2015 and Feb. 23 this year, according to the indictment.

All three charges of sexual battery involved the same victim, the indictment indicates. Two of the charges refer specifically to Sept. 12.

Sarver is also accused of selling Tramadol, a schedule III controlled substance, and stealing the use of a hot tub and cabin amenities at a rental cabin. The theft charge involved an elderly victim, the indictment states.

According to Sarver's website, he specializes in criminal and OVI cases. His website features the quote: "It is better to be great at one area of law, than to be adequate at every area of law."

Sarver posted 10 percent of a $25,000 appearance bond and was released from jail this week, court records show. He is required to be subject to GPS monitoring and he is prohibited from contacting the victim.

Sarver is scheduled for an arraignment hearing at 1:30 p.m. on March 14 in Hocking County Common Pleas Court. It will be his first chance to answer to the indictment and enter a plea.

elagatta@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6753

Twitter: @EricLagatta