BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A Belmont County man has been sentenced after admitting to providing false information while seeking public office.
According to Belmont County prosecutors, Greg Givens pleaded guilty to a charge of election falsification stemming from paperwork he submitted while attempting to run for mayor of Shadyside.
Prosecutors said the case was not related to voting or ballot casting. Instead, the charge involved information listed on Givens’ candidate petition. Authorities alleged that he claimed residency at a property that had been unoccupied for years and had been condemned prior to the filing.
Assistant Prosecutor Joe Vavra told the court that the address listed on the petition belonged to a structure that had not been lived in for an extended period and was demolished shortly after the paperwork was submitted.
As part of his sentence, Givens was placed on community control for three years. The court also ordered him to continue receiving mental health treatment during that time.
During the hearing, Givens apologized for his actions and told the judge the situation would not happen again.
