COLUMBUS — The former executive director of the Allen County Regional Transit Authority was sentenced to 30 months in prison Friday in the theft of about $27,000 in public resources.

Shelia Haney also was ordered to pay restitution and audit costs totaling $28,384.81 after she was convicted on one count of theft in office, four counts of tampering with records, and one count of tampering with evidence, all felonies.

“Shelia Haney broke the law and then tried to hide her actions,” said Auditor Faber, who along with attorneys from the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) served as special prosecutors in the case. “She is paying the price for those crimes, and, today, justice was served for the citizens of Allen County.”

The sentence was announced Friday in Allen County Common Pleas Court.

Haney was contracted to serve as executive director of the Allen County Regional Transit Authority beginning in September 2012 and hired as a full-time employee in September 2019. She left the position in February 2020.

SIU launched an investigation after discrepancies were identified related to the proceeds from the sale of Allen County Regional Transit Authority-owned vehicles and, separately, Haney’s expense reports.

SIU determined that Haney illegally diverted the proceeds from vehicles sales to a political action committee to pass a new levy for additional money to the Transit Authority. She also received reimbursements for personal travel not related to Transit Authority business.

Haney was convicted in July 2025 following a jury trial.

Since 2019, the Special Investigations Unit has assisted in 144 convictions resulting in more than $13 million in restitution (see Map of SIU Convictions since January 2019). The team receives hundreds of tips of suspected fraud annually. Tips can be submitted anonymously online or via SIU’s fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).

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The Auditor of State’s Office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,900 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Keith Faber, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.

Public Affairs

Contact: Marc Kovac

press@ohioauditor.gov