BUTLER, OH – Wesley Dingus, the Mayor of Butler, has officially submitted his resignation. The move follows his recent arraignment on two misdemeanor counts of voyeurism and comes after a period of intense public pressure on the village leadership.
The resignation marks the end of a tumultuous term for Dingus. Only months ago, he was a central figure in a national news story after using his personal vehicle to strike and stop a wanted parole violator fleeing police in July 2025. While that incident led to a felony indictment for aggravated assault and vehicular assault in Richland County Common Pleas Court, Dingus initially retained the support of many residents who viewed his actions as a form of citizen intervention.
However, that support largely dissolved this month following an investigation by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. According to the official charges filed in Mansfield Municipal Court, Dingus is accused of two counts of voyeurism involving the surreptitious invasion of privacy of a minor relative for sexual gratification.
During his arraignment on February 19, Dingus entered a plea of not guilty. Magistrate John McCollister set bond at $10,000 and implemented strict conditions for his release, including a no-contact order with the minor victim and mandatory electronic monitoring.
Dingus continues to be represented by defense attorney James Mayer III, who is handling both the new voyeurism case and the pending felony charges related to the 2025 car incident. While the Mayor’s seat is now vacant and the village begins the process of moving forward, the legal proceedings against Wesley Dingus remain active in both the Municipal and Common Pleas courts.
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