CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A Chillicothe man previously indicted on felony child endangerment charges in Ross County has now been sentenced to prison, according to records from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
Chancey Michael Hardesty, 30, was admitted to the Correctional Reception Center on May 11, 2026, following his conviction on two counts of Endangering Children, both third-degree felonies under Ohio law.
Court and prison records show Hardesty was sentenced in Ross County Common Pleas Court under Judge Michael Ater in case number 26CR072. The charges stemmed from a February 2026 indictment previously reported by Heritage Headlines.
According to ODRC records, Hardesty received an aggregate prison sentence of four years, with both counts ordered to run concurrently. His current projected release or parole eligibility date is listed as April 15, 2030.
Records also indicate Hardesty received 24 days of jail-time credit prior to being transferred into state custody.
Prior court records showed Hardesty had also faced unrelated falsification charges in Chillicothe Municipal Court in 2025, where he previously entered a guilty plea and was later found in violation of community control sanctions.
