CHAMPAIGN COUNTY — A police officer from the Village of St. Paris, Eric Smith, was arrested on Sunday evening at the Champaign County Fairgrounds for carrying a firearm while off-duty.Deputies from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office report that shortly after 6 p.m. deputies on duty at the fairgrounds received reports of Smith displaying his police badge and carrying a firearm, despite not being on duty and lacking jurisdiction over the event.
Deputies located Smith around 6:19 p.m. in the rides/midway area, where his firearm and badge were visible. They instructed him to either return his firearm to his vehicle or leave the fairgrounds, as he was not authorized to carry it off-duty at the event.
Smith refused, expressing his contempt for the deputies and said he planned to continue carrying his firearm. Despite being informed that Sheriff Melvin had issued a direct order for compliance, Smith declined to follow the instructions.
Smith was later seen again at the fairgrounds with his firearm and badge, leading to his arrest for obstructing official business and criminal trespass. He was subsequently banned from the Champaign County Fair for the remainder of the event and transported to Tri-County Regional Jail.