Beck won't investigate residency concern

LIMA - Sheriff Dan Beck may not investigate one of his former top men and his place of residence but he does have serious concerns whether independent sheriff candidate Sam Crish actually lives in Allen County.

"Sam, you know the truth and so do I. Can I prove it in a court of law? Maybe, maybe not." Beck wrote in a letter to Crish dated Sept. 30.

But even with that, Beck told Crish he would not investigate Crish's residency so as to not influence the election. Conducting an investigation could be used by either Crish or his opponent, Steve Hoverman, in an attempt to sway voters, he said.

"I will not open an investigation into this issue this close to the election. The electorate of this county will have to be the jury," Beck wrote in a letter to media outlets.

Crish declined comment Monday saying he would address the matter at a news conference today.

In a Sept. 25 letter to Crish, Beck wrote about an anonymous letter challenging Crish's residency and whether he lives in Allen County, or in Logan County where his wife and son live.

Crish has said his family remained behind because his son still is in high school in Lakeview. They will move here if he is elected, he said.

Beck said he has spoken to the prosecutor but has decided against doing anything because of the looming election.

Beck criticizes Crish in the letters saying it's apparent he was not living at the house he owns in Allen County. Beck said deputies were saying last winter there were no tire tracks in the snow and no lights were seen inside for extended periods of time.

"You did not live at the house on Bellefontaine Road much, if at all, last winter," Beck said.

Beck also mentions a time he, Maj. Gene King and Hoverman, picked Crish up at his Logan County home last winter for a function in Columbus. They also dropped Crish off at the end of the day, the letter said.

Beck expressed his disappointment criticizing Crish, who he said was like a son to him, for aligning himself with "big money" and political people helping him who could want future favors in return.

"The real issue with the new Sheriff ... is about to whom he will show his loyalty. Will he truly serve the good common folks of this county or will he take this agency back to where it was before 1993 when the sheriff was strongly influenced by the political party and the ‘big money.'"

Beck talked about honesty throughout both letters and said the residents of the county deserve nothing less.

"I feel betrayed. You have not been honest with the public or with me," Beck said.

Beck informed Crish in the Sept. 30 letter he was stripping him of his commission as a special deputy and asked Crish to return all county-owned equipment.

Beck also included with the letters a printout of a computer screen he said shows Crish has voted since 1988.

Allen County Board of Elections Director Keith Cunningham said the computer purges older records. The only record the board has in the computer is Crish reregistered to vote in 2007. Poll books, which are the most accurate way of checking whether someone voted, only go back six years, Cunningham said.

"There's really no way to quantify what the sheriff is saying," Cunningham said.

Crish has said he moved to Logan County 10 years ago and hasn't voted for 10 years.