Hopewell Heritage Headlines first reported in mid-August that Scioto Township Assistant Fire Chief Nathaniel T. Freeman, 36, of Chillicothe, faced felony charges after an arrest in Highland County. Readers asked for an update. Here is what public court records and prior official statements show from the arrest through mid-September 2026.
Freeman remains on unpaid administrative leave from the Scioto Township Fire Department. He has not been convicted. An indictment is a formal charging document. It is not a finding of guilt.
Timeline after the arrest
• August 13-14, 2026: The alleged offense date listed in court records is August 13. Cases were filed August 14 in Highland County court (docket numbers CRA2600183, CRA2600184, and CRA2600185). Greenfield Police Patrolman B. Stanley is listed as the complainant. Charges at that stage were one count of importuning (Ohio Revised Code 2907.07) and two counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles (ORC 2907.31), each a fifth-degree felony.
• Mid-August 2026: Scioto Township Fire Chief Rick Ray confirmed the charges and placed Freeman on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the legal process. Ray said the department takes the allegations seriously, is cooperating with authorities, and would not comment further because the matter was active.
• August 20, 2026: Attorney Bradley P. Koffel filed a notice of appearance and a demand for discovery.
• August 24, 2026: Freeman appeared with counsel. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing and consented to the case being bound over to the Highland County Grand Jury. Court entries state bond remained set as house arrest with electronic monitoring by Highland County. Court costs were assessed (totaling $73 on one case and $63 on the others). Status was listed as “BOUND OVER.”
• September 1, 2026: A Highland County Grand Jury returned an indictment in Common Pleas Case 26CR0108, State of Ohio vs. Freeman, Nathaniel. The indictment charges:
1. Importuning under ORC 2907.07(E)(2) and (G)(3)(a)(ii)(b), a fifth-degree felony.
2. Disseminating matter harmful to juveniles under ORC 2907.31(A)(1), a fifth-degree felony.
3. A second count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles under the same statute, also a fifth-degree felony.
• September 2-4, 2026: A summons on the indictment was issued and served. Court records note service on September 2. A transcript of original papers was received and filed September 4. The Common Pleas case is listed as open, with no judge assigned and the disposition recorded as undisposed. Additional costs of $13 appear in the financial summary.
Court records list Freeman’s address as 145 Coral Lane, Chillicothe, date of birth November 15, 1989, and zero prior convictions. No warrants are noted.
Has he been proven guilty by being indicted?
No. Under Ohio law, a grand jury decides only whether there is probable cause to believe a felony was committed and that the accused committed it. It does not hear a full defense case and does not decide guilt or innocence. Guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial, or the defendant must enter a knowing plea. An indictment is a charging document that moves the case into the Court of Common Pleas. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless convicted.
Ohio Revised Code 2907.07 addresses solicitation of sexual activity involving a minor or a person believed to be a minor, including through electronic communication or when a law enforcement officer poses as a minor. ORC 2907.31 addresses providing material that is obscene or harmful to juveniles (or to an officer posing as one). Both can be charged as fifth-degree felonies depending on the facts alleged. Penalties, if there is a conviction, can include prison time, fines, and possible sex-offender registration requirements. Those outcomes have not occurred here.
What’s next?
The case is now pending in Highland County Common Pleas Court. Typical next steps include arraignment, where the defendant is formally advised of the indictment charges and enters a plea, followed by discovery, pretrial hearings, and possible plea discussions or a trial date. Bond conditions from the bind-over (house arrest with electronic monitoring) have not been publicly reported as changed. No trial date or judge assignment appears in the records reviewed as of early September.
Scioto Township Fire Department has not issued a further public update beyond the August statement placing Freeman on unpaid leave. Hopewell Heritage Headlines will continue to follow official court filings and any additional statements from the department or prosecutor.
