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2026 OPAA Annual Meeting
December 3rd and 4th, 2026
Thursday, December 3rd
Criminal Track
8:00 - 9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 AI and Technology-Facilitated Exploitation of Children
Technology continues to transform how offenders target and exploit children. This presentation examines the emerging use of generative artificial intelligence in child exploitation, including AI-generated and manipulated sexual imagery, grooming, sextortion, and other evolving forms of technology-facilitated abuse. The presentation will also explore the role of cryptocurrency in child exploitation offenses, including its use to purchase and distribute child sexual abuse material and facilitate other illicit transactions. Through case examples and emerging trends, prosecutors will gain a practical understanding of these technologies, the evidence they can generate, and the challenges they may present in the prosecution of crimes against children.
Dan Barry, Investigative Specialist
Internet Crimes Against Children
Zero Abuse Project
10:00 - 10:15 Break
10:15 – 12:15 AI and Technology-Facilitated Exploitation of Children continues
12:15 – 1:45 Awards Luncheon
1:45 – 2:45 From the Workflow to the Witness Stand: AI in the Prosecutor’s Case
This session will explore both dimensions of AI's role in modern prosecution. The first half focuses on the practical application of AI in eDiscovery and evidence-management workflows, highlighting strategies to leverage AI while maintaining defensibility through validation, transparency, and human oversight. The second half examines the evidentiary challenges posed by AI-related evidence, including authentication, chain of custody, discovery obligations, and the role of AI in forensic tools and examinations. Attendees will gain a practical framework for integrating AI into prosecutorial workflows and a better understanding of the legal and evidentiary considerations that accompany AI-generated and AI-assisted evidence. The central takeaway is clear: AI can help uncover the truth, but it cannot be permitted to determine it.
John Wilson, CISO and President of Forensics and
Rene Novoa, CCLO, CCPA, CJED
Vice President of Forensics
Both with HaystackID
2:45 – 3:00 Break
3:00 – 5:00 When you decide to prosecute a Catholic priest for the 20 plus year old murder of a Catholic nun, you better be able to prove it!
A true story of the 1980 murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl by Father Gerald Robinson, as told by the former Assistant Lucas County Prosecutor and his assistant. The story begins with the birth of their cold case unit, revisiting the Sam Sheperd case in Cleveland, and the advent of DNA technology. The we look at the details of the murder of Sister Pahl in the sacristy of Mercy Hospital, Toledo, Ohio on Easter Eve, April 5,1980. Two weeks later, an interview with the principal suspect, a Catholic priest assigned to the hospital, ended when the Deputy Chief of the Toledo PD brought the diocesan Monsignor and a defense attorney to the interrogation room, stopped the interview, and the case lay dormant for two decades. The story continues with the revival of the case, ironic twists and turns, unavailable witnesses, resistance and interference , missing records and police reports, and the challenges these obstacles created for the prosecution of a decades old case. Ultimately the scientific evidence prevailed over the lack of eyewitnesses or a confession and in 2006 the jury convicted Father Gerald Robinson of the heinous murder of sister Margaret Ann Pahl.
Judge Dean Mandros, Court of Common Pleas and
Julia R. Bates, Prosecutor
Both with Lucas County
Civil Track
8:00 - 9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 How Evolving First Amendment Law Affects County Social Media Comments.
Your county may have already blocked a critic online or deleted their comments. Learn how and when that’s unconstitutional -- which your con law professor never covered.
Mark R. Weaver, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
Marion County
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:15 Labor and Employment issues – Employee Rights in Investigations and Discipline
Public employees have Constitutional procedural rights which are strictly enforced by Courts, Arbitrators, and in civil service appeals. This session will examine which employees are subject to the standards, the multiple standards, and provide the legal basis for each including the Loudermill and Garrity standards. Investigation techniques and potential conflict between administrative and criminal investigations and discipline in union and civil service environments will be addressed.
Jonathan J. Downes
Zashin & Rich
Columbus, Ohio
12:15 – 1:45 Awards Luncheon
1:45 – 2:45 Public Records 102 – Body Cam, Dash Cam, and Charging for Those Records.
Public records requests increasing ask for audio and video records (body cam, dash cam, etc.) This session addresses responding to these requests and the requirements and exceptions in Ohio public records law that apply to these types of records. Recent changes to the law allow prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to charge for preparing video records for inspection or production. This session will also cover what the law permits these offices to charge for, the limits on charging, and the policies required to charge for these records.
Christopher D. Betts, Assistant Prosecutor and
Michael D. Bull, Assistant Prosecutor
Both with Delaware County
2:45 – 3:00 Break
3:00 – 4:00 Antitrust: From the legal framework to how to detect and deter violations.
Members of the Antitrust Section of Attorney General Andy Wilson’s Office will present on the legal framework of the antitrust law with practical tips on how to spot potential violations, what to do when you think something may be amiss and tips for how to protect your procurements from potential antitrust violations.
Bob Morgan, Antitrust Investigator Supervisor and
Beth A. Finnerty, Section Chief Antitrust Section
Both with the Office of Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson
4:00 – 5:00 The New Cybersecurity Standard of Care for Ohio’s Public Sector
Lawyers advising public sector clients need to understand Ohio's cyber requirements under ORC 9.64, including public policy rationale behind the law, hidden programmatic requirements - why bare compliance isn't enough, the need for ongoing risk assessments, a county prosecutor’s role in ongoing governance and risk management, and finally how audit standards will evolve (and how to stay ahead of them).
Kirk Herath, Adjunct Professor of Law
Ohio State Moritz University and Cleveland State University School of Law
Friday, December 4th
Combined Session
8:00 - 9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 Artificial Intelligence – Real Consequences: Navigating the Ethical Minefield of AI (Professional Conduct)
As the use of AI becomes increasingly common in both our personal and professional lives, this program will serve as an update on how the technology is infiltrating the practice of law and how prosecutors can meet their ethical obligations amidst the chaos.
Chris Brown, Assistant Prosecutor
Lucas County
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:45 Is Your Facebook Statement About a Case Ethical? (Professional Conduct)
The Court of Public Opinion is always in session but for prosecutors, there are more ethics rules than you might realize. Learn how to be effective without getting disciplined.
Mark R. Weaver, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
Marion County
11:45 – 1:15 Lunch and Business Meeting
Criminal Track
1:15 – 2:15 Ohio Supreme Court 2025-26 Review
This presentation will provide an overview of the most-significant criminal-law decisions of the Ohio Supreme Court during the 2025-26 cycle, with a few “lessons learned” as far as preserving and presenting issues for that Court, and with a run-down of what issues remain to be decided by the end of 2026.
Steven Taylor, Legal Research and Staff Counsel
Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 - 3:30 Forced Reset Triggers (FRT) / Fire Control Systems and Their Impact on Firearm Related Cases
Forced Reset Triggers (FRT) / Fire Control Systems represent a broad category of specialized firearm components that have become more popular in the firearm industry and have recently been seen in casework involving firearms. An FRT device / component is designed to mechanically reset the trigger of a semi-automatic firearm during the firing process, rather than relying on the shooter to manually release the trigger after each rearward pull. This presentation will provide attendees with an overview of what FRT devices / components are, common design features, safety implications, as well as the steps that the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) are taking with regards to casework, report wording, and forensic testimony.
Matthew R. White, Forensic Scientist and
Kevin Belcik, Forensic Scientist
Both with Firearms/NIBIN unit of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Office of Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson
Civil Track
1:15 – 2:15 Trust, But Verify: The Continuing Saga of Artificial Intelligence, Social Media and Cybersecurity
As technology advances, so does its role in the workplace and reliance by employees on it. In particular, the availability of information on the internet continues to plague public employers. This session will review policies that public employers should consider in order to minimize risks within the workplace related to the world wide web. At the outset, this presentation will discuss the developing world of Artificial Intelligence and its impact on employment and risks for public employers. More specifically, the presentation will discuss potential landmines for county attorneys and public employees in general. Due to the connectivity of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity threats, discussion will be had regarding how to best minimize risks for your clients. Finally, a refresher will be provided regarding the employee use of social media in the world of a public employer and how to minimize the risk of threats to a public employer.
Ben Albrecht, Partner
Fishel, Downey, Albrecht, Riepenhoff LLC
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 3:30 Prayers, County Jails and Building Permits
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (“RLUIPA”) was enacted in 2000. Most civil prosecutors recognize the application of RLUIPA to zoning matters. However, some might forget the application of RLUIPA to institutionalized persons. This session will review the obligations of correctional facilities and the conversations the county prosecutor will no doubt have with the county sheriff, to extend RLUIPA protections to inmates by discussing the statutory framework of RLUIPA, significant court decisions, and legal standards governing requests of institutionalized persons. In short, the session will not only address the obligations of a correctional facility to respond to requests of an institutionalized person, but also the standard or review required by the courts as correctional facilities continue to attempt to evaluate requests of inmates. Finally, before concluding the session, a brief review of the application of RLUIPA to local zoning rules will be provided.
Ben Albrecht, Partner
Fishel, Downey, Albrecht, Riepenhoff LLC
The 2026 OPAA Annual Meeting has been approved for 10.5 total CLE hours which consists of 8.0 general hours and 2.5 professional conduct hours by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education.
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