Audit Shows Improper Spending By Athens County Sheriff

A state audit shows Athens County Sheriff Patrick Kelly and two of his employees used $5,700 in public funds to purchase shirts, meals, and items for parties last year.

 It's the second such audit showing misspending. One conducted in 2011 showed Kelly and members of his department spent 15 thousand public dollars on items such as meals and personal clothing. Kelly says the money was taken from the wrong account, and the office has a a new fiscal officer and new accounting practices. Kelly is also under investigation by a grand jury, and under scrutiny for assaulting a man who was campaigning against him and for illegally destroying a large volume of public records. Kelly denies those allegations.