Lies cause sheriff's deputy to lose job

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN) - A Montgomery County Sheriff's deputy is fired, after he's accused of lying about his relationship with a confidential informant.

As of Oct. 27, Steven Gardiner is no longer an employee at the Montgomery County Sheriff's office.

The Sheriff said there were multiple reasons behind Gardiner's firing, the most significant, he said is that Gardiner lied to investigators.

37-year-old Steven Gardiner's personnel file with the Montgomery County Sheriff's office is hundreds of pages long. The most recent addition, an order of termination.

Gardiner was fired for various policy violations, including violation of rules, abuse of his position, ethical misconduct and insubordination.

Sheriff Phil Plummer said Gardiner came under investigation after he was romantically linked to a paid confidential informant.

Sheriff Plummer said "during the internal investigation Detective. Gardiner was not completely truthful to us, and I have a policy on truthfulness they all know, that if you lie you are immediately terminated."

Gardiner's internal investigation report revealed that on Aug. 24, the confidential informant was pulled over, and at that time, she told the deputies she had been dating Gardiner for the last year and a half.

She also told investigators the relationship quickly became sexual, and said the she spent several nights alone with Gardiner in hotels around the Miami Valley, Columbus and Indiana. The report also stated Gardiner, who is married, invited the informant on a Hawaiian vacation.

Sheriff Plummer calls the relationship unethical, and a danger to his department.

Plummer said Gardiner used his work issued car and other equipment during his dates, which he called borderline criminal activity. At this time, no charges have been filed.

Officials told 2News that Gardiner, who has spent the last several years undercover, has already filed a grievance with the state, in an effort to get his job back.