Former Fairfield sheriff dies at 66
Had been convicted on corruption charges
Two-term Fairfield County Sheriff Gary Demastry, whose career in law enforcement was marred by corruption charges, has died at age 66.
According to his obituary, he died Friday at Fairfield Medical Center of undisclosed reasons.
Demastry served as chief deputy beginning in 1981. He was elected sheriff in 1992 and served until he was indicted in 2000 on multiple theft in office charges.
He was convicted by a Fairfield County jury in 2001 of 32 crimes involving public money misspent on meals, trips and entertainment and then lying about it. He pleaded guilty to five more crimes in 2002.
Demastry was sentenced to six years in prison, but a judge granted his request to be released 11 months early in 2007.
His case inspired a state law, enacted in 2005, that allows for the provisional, paid suspension of elected officials charged with a felony if the charge relates to their official duties running their office. That law has allowed for the suspension of officials pending their trial outcomes and the recovery of pay and benefits once convicted.
Demastry’s downfall also led to attempts to reform how public officials are vetted for public office, accounting safeguards and a philosophy of transparency and openness in the county, some current officials have said.
“I think people are a lot more careful today after he got made an example,” said Fairfield County Commissioner Steve Davis, a former Lancaster city councilman who knew Demastry since childhood.
Davis, 58, noted that some county funds – such as the law enforcement furtherance of justice fund – were less visible to the public and might have tempted officials to misuse the funds.
“He really did care for the community,” Davis said. “And he was really loyal to those who were loyal to him . ... I think he did his time and that he was a good person.”
Demastry was born in Columbus in 1955 and was a 1973 graduate of Fisher Catholic High School.
According to his obituary, he enjoyed coaching youth sports, especially those involving his grandchildren. He was an avid golfer and fan of Duke University basketball.
“He always made sure to tell people he made an appearance in the movie, ‘A Better Way to Die,’” his obituary stated, referring to the 2000 movie featuring the likes of Lou Diamond Phillips and Natasha Henstridge.
Demastry is survived by his wife, Penny; daughter, Nicole (Mark) Kolikohn; and several grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, followed by burial in St. Mary Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursdayfrom 3-8 p.m. at Sheridan Funeral Home in Lancaster. dnarciso@dispatch.com @Deannarciso