Death Lies & Alibis+Follow🚨 FORMER MUSKINGUM COUNTY CASEWORKER PLEADS GUILTY TO TAMPERING WITH RECORDS 🚨 A former Muskingum County Adult and Children Protective Services employee has pleaded guilty to felony charges after investigators uncovered falsified records and deceptive conduct tied to her employment. ⚠️ Ashley Steele entered guilty pleas on June 3, 2026, to two counts of tampering with records and one count of attempted tampering with records. The case began earlier this year when a Muskingum County grand jury indicted Steele on 11 counts of tampering with government records. According to court records, investigators determined Steele obtained her position by falsely stating she had no criminal history. When a background check revealed otherwise, she allegedly claimed her record had been expunged and submitted a forged court document to support that claim. Investigators later confirmed that the Guernsey County Court of Common Pleas had denied her request to seal her record and that prosecutors had opposed the motion. 💔 An internal review of Steele’s work also revealed that she allegedly falsified records involving client contacts and family visits—information relied upon by child-protective teams responsible for monitoring the safety and welfare of children. Prosecutor Welch called the conduct “disgraceful,” stating that Steele was entrusted with gathering information affecting children and caregivers but instead provided false information. Authorities said investigators found no evidence that children were placed in immediate danger as a result of the falsified reports. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of four years and 11 months in prison. Several remaining charges were dismissed for now but could be refiled if Steele violates the terms of the agreement. #BreakingNews #OhioNews #TrueCrime #ChildProtectiveServices #MuskingumCounty #CrimeNews Source: Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office 10Share
