OTTAWA COUNTY, Ohio — A Village of Marblehead police officer has been convicted of unauthorized use of a law enforcement database for personal reasons. Michael Scherer pleaded guilty on Friday in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court to 26 counts of unauthorized use of the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OHLEG), all fifth-degree felonies. His sentencing is scheduled for March 7.

According to his personnel records, Marblehead Police Chief Kenn Thellman filed a formal complaint against Scherer on July 11, 2024, citing repeated misuse of OHLEG over a two-year period, a violation of Ohio law. The investigation into Scherer’s misconduct began when he applied for a position with the Bowling Green Police Department (BGPD).

During the BGPD background investigation, conducted between June 24 and July 2, Chief Tony Hetrick interviewed Scherer and several of his references. One former roommate and ex-girlfriend described Scherer as “neither honest nor reliable” and expressed fear of him as a police officer. She alleged that Scherer ran license plate checks through OHLEG while off duty, targeting her child’s father, her neighbors, and even vehicles that committed traffic violations in his presence. She also claimed he conducted searches at his mother’s request.

Chief Thellman was notified of these findings and officially lodged the complaint. Additionally, on July 12, Thellman reprimanded Scherer for unrelated incidents, including spending excessive on-duty hours at Bay Point Resort. Complaints indicated Scherer’s cruiser was parked on Bay Point Boulevard for over five hours and that he attended a garage party until after 4 a.m., even allowing an unidentified female into his patrol car. Thellman prohibited Scherer from socializing at Bay Point while on duty and required the return of his access card.

Further complaints included Marblehead Mayor John Starcher’s report that Scherer locked his dog inside the council meeting room unattended—an action Thellman firmly stated would not be tolerated again.

An audit conducted on Scherer’s OHLEG account confirmed over 124 unauthorized searches during off-duty hours across two years. As a result, Scherer was suspended on July 18, 2024, pending a mayoral review and subsequently terminated from the Marblehead Police Department on July 22, 2024.

Scherer’s employment history reveals a pattern of concerning behavior. He joined the Toledo Police Department in 2018 but resigned in December 2019 amid an internal investigation prompted by a complaint from the Oregon city prosecutor. The investigation recommended charges of “abuse of authority” and “conduct unbecoming an officer.” Scherer resigned before facing a hearing.

From October 2020 to June 2021, Scherer worked part-time for the Woodville Police Department. Woodville Police Chief Steve Gilkerson noted that although Scherer had previously resigned from Toledo PD under investigation, he was given an opportunity with Woodville PD. However, Scherer reportedly misled dispatchers during an incident where he drove a female to a hotel near Perrysburg or Rossford, falsely claiming he was handling equipment in Genoa. Scherer resigned from Woodville PD just before the department launched its own internal investigation, avoiding possible termination.

Scherer claimed he left Woodville PD to accept a position with the Marblehead Police Department.

His conviction now closes a troubling chapter in his law enforcement career, raising questions about oversight and accountability within local police departments.