MILFORD, Ohio — A Milford woman who was being transported to jail on a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge allegedly offered a police officer $700 to take her home instead, turning a minor incident into a third-degree felony, according to a complaint filed in Clermont County Municipal Court.
Kelly Anne Patterson was charged with bribery under Ohio Revised Code 2921.02A, a felony of the third degree, following an incident in the early hours of March 5.
According to the complaint filed by Milford Police Officer C. Neumeier, officers were dispatched around 9:20 p.m. to the Tru Hotel at 951 Chamber Dr. after reports of a woman banging on doors inside the building. Officers located Patterson in the lobby shortly after 9:27 p.m. The complaint describes her as loud, intoxicated and argumentative, and states she continued the disruptive behavior after being escorted outside to officers’ vehicles.
Officers spent approximately two hours attempting to reach someone to take Patterson home — efforts the complaint says were unsuccessful. After obtaining a bond for persistent disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, Neumeier began transporting Patterson to the Clermont County Jail.
That’s when, according to the complaint, the situation escalated.
En route to the jail, Patterson allegedly told Neumeier she would pay him $700 if he turned around and drove her home. When the officer asked her to confirm the statement, she directed him to take her to an ATM where she would withdraw the money. Neumeier declined and continued to the jail. The alleged bribery occurred on State Route 222 in Stonelick Township.
The complaint was sworn before the court on March 6.
A conviction on a third-degree felony bribery charge in Ohio carries a potential prison sentence of nine months to three years and fines of up to $10,000 — a dramatically more severe consequence than the misdemeanor charge that preceded it.