BETHEL, Ohio — The Clermont County Sheriff’s Office and Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday that Bethel Police Chief Chad Essert has been indicted on 70 felony charges involving the alleged sexual abuse of a minor.
According to investigators, Essert, 44, of Blanchester, Ohio, was indicted by a Clermont County Grand Jury on June 11, 2026. The indictment charges him with 56 counts of Sexual Battery and 14 counts of Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor, all third-degree felonies.
If convicted on all charges, Essert faces a maximum sentence of 280 years in prison…