MARYSVILLE — An organizer of the All Ohio Balloon Festival has admitted to taking $40,000 from the organization for personal use over a five-year period.
Kevin Behrens, 52, who also is the publisher of the Marysville Journal-Tribune, pleaded guilty Thursday, Aug. 14, to grand theft, a fourth-degree felony, after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office’s Charitable Law Section.
A criminal bill of information was filed on the same day. Behrens waived his rights to a grand jury and to a trial during an appearance before Judge Howard E. Hall, who was assigned to the case.
In exchange for his plea which includes a requirement to repay the money, the state will not oppose a sentencing recommendation from Behrens’ attorney Daniel J. Sobol for three years of community control.
The agreement stipulated Behrens will be barred from ever holding public office or any position with a charity. He also is prohibited from serving as a financial power of attorney or in a fiduciary capacity except in matters involving his father, Daniel E. Behrens, or his father’s estate.
His sentencing is set for Oct. 10 in the Union County Common Pleas Court.
According to prosecutors, Behrens took the money from the festival organization between January 2019 and May 2024.
The All Ohio Balloon Festival began in 1975 and has become a popular event, attracting enthusiasts from across the nation. This year’s event did not take place because of ongoing construction at the Union County Airport and a chance to host the 2026 Hot Air Balloon World Championships.
