David Bruns is the spouse of Montgomery County Juvenile Prosecutor Julie Bruns, who is a second cousin of Heck.
Heck is a cousin of Julie Bruns’ mother.
In a statement released today by Heck’s office regarding the theft investigation, Heck mentioned a special prosecutor was appointed “to avoid any appearance of conflict.”
This discovery reveals there was more conflict to be considered than just an employee of the office allegedly stealing from the office.
A 2010 Dayton Daily News investigation on nepotism in local government uncovered the Bruns Heck family connection along with other similar connections in county government.
Heck hired Julie Bruns in 1994 and she worked her way through the ranks to her current position, the Dayton Daily News investigation found. The newspaper reported there is no rule against hiring second cousins.
“I’m very proud to have her as an assistant prosecutor. And I’m proud of her as a relative,” Heck told the newspaper in 2010.
News Center 7’s John Bedell will have the latest on this breaking story during WHIO-TV’s 90 minutes of news beginning at 5 p.m.
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UPDATE @ 12:02 p.m.
Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck said in a release:
“I am stunned and appalled that one of my employees violated his responsibility to me, this office and the community, and the trust that I put in him. I take his transgressions very seriously and he will be prosecuted for his actions. To avoid any appearance of conflict, special prosecutors were appointed to oversee the investigation and the prosecution of Mr. Bruns.”
The funds had been misappropriated from the prosecutor’s Delinquent Tax Assessment and Collection (DTAC) Unit. It was discovered “several months ago,” a media release said.
Special prosecutors, Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron O’Brien and Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Jeffrey Blake, are handling prosecution of the case.
FIRST REPORT
A former employee of the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office is under investigation for allegedly stealing $75,000 from the office, according to department spokesman Greg Flannagan.
The employee, David Bruns, worked in the prosecutor’s office delinquent tax assessment and collection unit. He made $35,944 last year, according to payroll data obtained by the I-Team.
Bruns has been terminated during the ongoing investigation, Flannagan said, and has repaid $40,000 of the allegedly stolen funds.
We are looking into this story and will update it when more information is available.
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