The Ohio Supreme Court has suspended the law license of the former Hocking County prosecutor for two years after finding he fostered an unprofessional work environment and engaged in misconduct — including sexually harassing women in the office.
Ryan Black, 42, resigned as Hocking County Prosecutor in April. He had been elected prosecutor in November 2020 and took office in January 2021.
Records from the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct show the state Supreme Court on Monday adopted the recommendation of the board to suspend Black’s law license for two years, six months of which will be stayed. Black will be required to submit quarterly reports from his counselors about his progress and agree to random drug and alcohol testing.
A complaint had been filed against Black in April accusing him of sexually harassing female employees in his office and fostering an unprofessional work environment. Two former employees filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Black, which was dismissed by the employees in July.
The complaint also accused Black of:
-
Frequently using obscenity to the point of making staff members uncomfortable
-
Commenting on a female subordinate’s clothing in a sexual manner
-
Sending unsolicited images of himself shirtless to a female subordinate
Black told the disciplinary board during a September hearing that he had struggled with his mental health, including being diagnosed and treated for bipolar disorder, and self-medicated with alcohol. Black said he had struggled with alcohol abuse in the past, but had maintained sobriety for about 10 years before relapsing in 2023.
During the disciplinary hearing, Black told a three-member panel he realized soon after taking office as prosecutor, with less than three years of legal experience, that he was “in over (his) head.”
“I would say it was one of the most, if not the most, unprofessionally run offices in the state and that was entirely my responsibility and it is absolutely disgusting to me that I would permit that,” Black told the panel.
To be reinstated as an attorney, Black will have to provide the Ohio Supreme Court with the opinion of a qualified health care professional who can say Black will be able to return to the “competent, ethical and professional” practice of law.
bbruner@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Ohio prosecutor’s law license suspended for sexual harassment
