UPDATE 11/23/19 @ 3:30 p.m.

A state ethics charge has been filed against an Ohio county sheriff already facing multiple felonies.

The Chillicothe Gazette reports Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor count of making a false statement to the Ohio Ethics Commission.

He is accused of failing to report $7,500 in loans and gifts on a financial disclosure statement.

Reader said in a statement that “politics do not belong in law enforcement.” He announced Friday he’s planning to run as an independent candidate for sheriff next year.

Reader, who is suspended, was indicted in Pike County in June on charges that include theft in office and tampering with evidence after authorities investigated allegations that he stole confiscated drug money.

Eight family members were slain in Pike County in 2016.

UPDATE 7/27/19 @ 5:18 p.m.

A retired police chief will serve as interim sheriff in a southern Ohio county.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that 71-year-old Jim Nelson was selected Thursday night by the Pike County Democratic central committee. The retired Piketon chief will lead the department after Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader accepted suspension earlier this month.

Reader faces counts including theft in office and evidence-tampering after authorities looked into a complaint accusing him of stealing money that had been seized in drug cases. He pleaded not guilty and is free on bond.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has said the sheriff's indictment won't impact the pending murder cases against four suspects charged in the gruesome 2016 shootings of eight people from the Rhoden family, the case that put Reader in the national spotlight.

UPDATE 7/2/19 @ 12:28 p.m.

The Pike County sheriff pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

A judge arraigned Sheriff Charles Reader Tuesday morning. He faces a

for charges including theft, tampering with evidence, and conflict of interest. A full list of charges is at the bottom of this article.

Reader was released Tuesday upon his own recognizance.

Granting the state's request, the judge ordered Reader to not have any contact with witnesses as a condition of his bond. The sheriff also had to surrender his keys to the courthouse.

The court added its own bond condition as well. The judge ordered Reader to not talk about the case on social media.

Also Tuesday, the Ohio attorney general announced his support for an effort to remove Reader from office.

“Sheriff Reader violated the public’s trust when he used his office to benefit himself rather than the public,” Yost stated. “Reader has been credibly accused and indicted. Under these circumstances, I don’t see how he can be an effective law enforcement officer.”

The Ohio Auditor’s Office filed a motion Monday with the Ohio Supreme Court to begin suspension proceedings against the sheriff.

“The details of this case demonstrate that Charles Reader has abused his position for personal gain and violated his oath to faithfully and lawfully serve the people of Pike County," Auditor Faber said. "His suspension is necessary to restore the trust of the public in the members of law enforcement that have sworn to protect and serve them.”

Attorney General Dave Yost announced his office

that supports Faber's motion.

"As the chief law officer in the state, Attorney General Yost has an obligation to protect Ohioans," a press release states. "Since Sheriff Reader’s alleged corruption directly impacts the State of Ohio and the AG’s office, Attorney General Yost has filed a brief supporting the Special Prosecutor’s Motion to Commence Suspension Proceedings against Reader."

Yost added that Reader's removal would not impact current cases the sheriff's office is working on, “Removing Reader from office will improve, not undermine, criminal justice in Pike County… Reader’s removal will have no effect whatsoever on Ohio’s ability to prosecute the defendants who stand accused of murdering the eight members of the Rhoden, Gilley, and Manley families in April of 2016.”

ORIGINAL STORY 6/28/19

A grand jury has indicted the sheriff of Pike County, Ohio for theft, tampering with evidence, and other charges.

The

was filed Friday in the Pike County Court of Common Pleas.

Sheriff Charles Reader is facing several different charges - both felonies and misdemeanors - including seven counts of conflict of interest. A list of the counts is at the bottom of this story, or you can read the indictment

.

The Ohio Auditor's Office is handling the investigation. Auditor Keith Faber released the following statement Friday:

“This has been a long and intensive investigation with unfortunate and very serious results. It is our job to hold public officials accountable and root out fraud, waste, and abuse in our communities. We do not take these charges lightly and recognize that no one is above the law. While this is a major step toward seeking justice, our team is fully prepared to present these findings to a jury as this matter moves forward. I’d like to commend everyone who worked on this case for the immense amount of effort and detail that has been dedicated to the investigation.”

Faber said the Auditor’s Special Investigations Unit took a lead role in the case that began in 2018.

This comes in the midst of a massive investigation his office is working on -- the killings of eight family members in Piketon, Ohio. While we do not know if these charges are related to the Ohio massacre investigation in any way, it leaves questions about how the sheriff's indictment could impact the cases.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released the following statement, saying he does not believe the indictment will have any impact on the

:

“This will have no impact on the Wagner capital murder cases, as Sheriff Reader was not the primary witness for any issue of fact or law. Ohio sheriffs act with integrity and honor, and this rare occurrence does not reflect the excellent work they do daily throughout their counties.”

Reader will be arraigned Tuesday, July 2. We're told Common Pleas Judge Randy Deering has recused himself because he has frequent contact with the sheriff's office.

Indictment breakdown:

Count 1: Tampering with evidence - third-degree felony

Count 2: Tampering with records - third-degree felony

Count 3: Theft in office - fourth-degree felony

Count 4: Conflict of interest - first-degree misdemeanor

Count 5: Securing writings by deception - fifth-degree felony

Count 6: Theft in office - fourth-degree felony

Count 7: Theft - fifth-degree felony

Count 8: Theft in office - fourth-degree felony

Count 9: Conflict of interest - first-degree misdemeanor

Count 10: Theft - first-degree misdemeanor

Count 11: Theft in office - fifth-degree felony

Count 12: Conflict of interest - first-degree misdemeanor

Count 13: Conflict of interest - first-degree misdemeanor

Count 14: Conflict of interest - first-degree misdemeanor

Count 15: Conflict of interest - first-degree misdemeanor

Count 16: Conflict of interest - first-degree misdemeanor