Ohio Sheriff Accused of Rendezvous Resigns

DELAWARE, OHIO A central Ohio sheriff has resigned following allegations that he misused funds during a training trip to the FBI Academy last summer, according to the Associated Press.

Delaware County Sheriff Walter Davis III resigned Monday. He said in a statement that he would reimburse the county for the money in question and takes responsibility for his actions.

Davis was linked through an investigation to former Perry Township police officer Janine England, who now goes by Janine Senanayake. He is accused of spending taxpayer funds for gas, a rental car and food to meet Senanayake at the Marriot Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Va. last August while attending a training program held at the FBI Academy.

Davis and Senanayake were also spotted leaving a Westerville condominium that sources have said they were sharing on the weekends. Department policy prohibits personal relationships between supervisors and their subordinates.

Senanayake was fired by Perry Township trustees in 2009 after she and former Police Chief Timothy Escola were caught on a cruiser dashcam kissing and caressing each other during a trip to Cincinnati to pick up a prisoners.

Escola resigned a day before the video was made public.

Trustees refused to accept Senanayake's resignation a week later after they determined through emails that she willingly participated in the incident.

She filed a discrimination lawsuit against trustees in 2010 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming trustees allowed other officers, including white males, to resign after violating department policy.

The case has not yet proceeded to U.S. District Court. The township plans to seek dismissal following the latest incident in Delaware County.

News broke last week that Davis was being investigated by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification for his alleged rendezvous with Senanayake.

A special prosecutor handling the investigation says Davis agreed to pay back about $1,300 he was reimbursed by the county for the trip.

Media outlets report the prosecutor says he agreed to defer prosecution as long as Davis resigned, repaid the county and agreed not seek elected office again. The county Republican Central Committee voted last week to rescind its endorsement of Davis, who was unopposed for re-election.

Davis has withdrawn his name from the ballot.