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Two seek Harrison County prosecutor seat

CADIZ — Two Harrison County attorneys are facing off in the race for county prosecutor in Tuesday’s election.

Republican Lauren Knight defeated incumbent Prosecutor Owen Beetham in April’s primary election. Now Knight faces independent Steve Stickles in the general election contest.

Both candidates said they will use their experience to provide quality service to the residents of Harrison County.

Knight, a resident of Cadiz, has served as the county’s assistant prosecutor for three years. She has had her own law practice for the past year. She said she has handled trials and pretrials in county court and also conducted preliminary hearings on felonies.

“This experience is the reason I feel passionately about serving our county,” she said.

If elected, Knight said she will make sure Harrison County is a priority and will put the residents of the county first.

Knight said she will work closely with law enforcement to ensure all cases are thoroughly investigated.

“Consistency is key in achieving results,” she said.

Knight said she is committed to prosecuting criminals to the fullest extent of the law. If elected, she said she will ensure all of the county’s offices have access to the prosecutor’s office.

“I will make sure all the different offices and officials that are served through the prosecutor’s office — ones that get legal advice, countywide officials, township officials — all of those people have access to the office. I’ll make sure they don’t feel any less important than any other elected official. When they need something, when they call in, I’ll make sure they get an answer,” she said.

Knight said she plans to be a full-time prosecutor and a fiscally responsible leader with a passion for serving the county.

“I’ve been a Harrison County resident my entire life, and Harrison County is what I know and love. The reason I chose to run and do all of this is because I want to make sure Harrison County is taken care of and that justice is equal for everyone and the people of the county are protected and served as they should be,” she said.

Stickles, a resident of Hopedale. has served as a trial lawyer since 2003, licensed in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He said he has handled more than 5,000 cases as a prosecutor and defense lawyer. Stickles said he is experienced and fiscally responsible.

“I’ve done every part of that job that exists. I’ve been involved in local municipal government, I have professional relationships statewide. I have relationships with not only local police, state police, but also federal agencies,” he said.

Stickles said his main goal if elected is to return Harrison County to the safe place it used to be.

“I love Harrison County. This is my home. I want nothing more than to be the person you can count on through thick and thin to be the voice of the people and the strongest prosecutor this county has ever had,” he said.

If elected, Stickles said he plans to use his experience to help fight the drug epidemic.

“I want to get the drugs out, get the dealers out, reduce violent crime. We currently have two pending murder cases, we’re probably about to have three. We need somebody that knows how to do that job, that’s familiar with the courtroom, that’s familiar with standing their groud and holding people responsible for their actions. I want to make it so that everyone is safe again,” he said.

Stickles said he has strong family values and believes in supporting the community. He said he believes the county needs a full-time prosecutor and plans to use his experience, integrity and toughness to make sure justice is served effectively for the residentes of the county.

Stickles said that he chose to run as an independent because he wants to represent everyone in the community.

“I don’t think that party politics has any role in the office of the prosecutor. The prosecutor represents all 15,000-plus residents of Harrison County, not just one group or one certain person’s interests. I don’t answer to a party, I answer to every citizen in the county,” he said.

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