Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association

Our 2025 Spring Training seminar will focus on a variety of topics including battling gender bias; dealing with illicitly manufactured fentanyls and nitazense; Ohio Board of Nursing and Prosecutors; obtaining cell phone and digital data; prosecuting marijuana cases; closing arguments; a look at legislation passed during lame duck that affects prosecutors; and a case study on identifying and prosecuting elder abuse cases. We hope to see you there!

9:00 - 10:30 Battling Gender Bias: How Bill Cosby and other Sexual Predators Escape Punishment
Bill Cosby victimized nearly sixty women and was convicted of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand and sentenced to prison. However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed his convictions indicating he could not be tried again. In this presentation we will discuss statistics indicating that victims of sexual assault do not report these crimes especially when alcohol and drugs are involved. We will review bias by law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and jurors and how the legal system has a history of protecting the predator and not the victims of sexual assault. Further, we will discuss why this occurs, how to prevent these miscarriages of justice and what steps we can take as a prosecutor to ensure that the legal system treats victims of sexual assault with dignity and respect.
Philip Bogdanoff
Retired career prosecutor

10:45 - 11:45 What are “He-Man” and “Frankenstein” doing in Ohio?
In 2023, illicitly manufactured fentanyls (IMFs) contributed to an estimated 74,702 of the 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States. He-Man is a common street name for IMFs. The trafficking of counterfeit tablets containing novel opioid agonist is further contributing to the drug overdose issue in the United States. In March 2019, nitazene (aka. Frankenstein) first appeared on the drug scene in Canada and Europe and are now being seen in Ohio. The potency of the nitazenes ranges from 20 to 50 times more potent than fentanyl. Here, we will discuss what is known about the chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of these agents.
Jon E. Sprague, R.PH., Ph.D.
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Eminent Scholar and Director of Science and Research
Office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

11:45 - 12:45 Lunch (with Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Investigators Association)

12:45 - 1:15 Prosecuting Attorneys and the Ohio Board of Nursing
The OBN will present ways the Board and Prosecutors can work together to exchange information and keep the public safe. Topics to be discussed include who is the OBN and how we impact public health, how the OBN can help prosecutors with investigative packets, witness allocation, trial testimony, license verification, and more, and finally how prosecutors can help the OBN and keep the public safe through timely reporting.
Marlene Anielski, Executive Director
David Geiger, Chief Legal Counsel
Thomas Lininger, Chief of Investigations
All with the Ohio Board of Nursing

1:30 - 3:30 Cell Phone Evidence for Your Prosecutions
In 2025, one of the most abundant locations for evidence is the cell phone. Items like texts, app data, payment platforms and digital media are all great sources of information. However, it does not stop there, we can also obtain data from the records and clouds, to make an even stronger case. We’ll look at what records can be obtained and how to go about getting those records to help with prosecutions.
Glenn K. Bard, (retired)
Pennsylvania State Trooper
CISSP, EnCE, CHFI, A+, Network +, Security +, AME
PATCtech Digital Forensics

3:45 – 4:45 Prosecuting Marijuana in 2025
An in-depth look at the new rules and laws, charging concerns and pitfalls, what impact the DCC has seen, and the societal issues that have stemmed from legalization.
James V. Canepa, Superintendent
Ohio Division of Cannabis Control

9:00 - 10:30 Closing Argument Guardrails: Don’t Run Your Case Off the Road by Committing Reversible Error.
Veteran prosecutor Mark Weaver will overview several Ohio cases that limit what prosecutors can say during closing arguments. In addition to case law, the session will highlight some examples for effective closing arguments, including defeating defense counsel’s attempts to raise the burden of proof.
Mark R. Weaver, Founder
Communications Counsel, Inc. and
Assistant Prosecutor, Marion County

10:45 - 12:15 Legislation Passed During 2024 Lame Duck
This 90-minute presentation will review many of the statutory changes enacted during the recent lame duck session of the General Assembly as well as some of the December decisions of the Ohio Supreme Court, i.e., on firearm specifications (Beatty), submission of proposed findings (Riley), Stand Your Ground and retroactivity (Miree), and the “emergency” exception to Confrontation (Wilcox and Smith).
Steven L. Taylor, Legal Research and Staff Counsel
Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association

1:15 – 2:15 Two-Pronged Attack: Combating Elder Financial Abuse through Criminal and Civil Action
Elder abuse is a critical issue that affects many vulnerable individuals. This workshop aims to address the complexities of elder victimization and prosecution and provide valuable insights and practical strategies for effectively addressing and prosecuting crimes against the elderly. It's crucial to create a supportive environment that empowers victims and holds perpetrators accountable.
Brian M. McDonough, Assistant United States Attorney and
Sylvia M. Pla-Raith, MA, LSW
Deputy Director Community Programs
Division of Senior and Adult Service, Cuyahoga County HHS

We have requested approval for 10 hours of general CLE from the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education.

The registration fees for OPAA members are $300.00 for both days, $200.00 for one day only. Registration fees for non-members are $600.00 and $400.00. The fee covers all continental breakfasts, breaks, and lunches. To help defray the cost of food guarantees, cancellations after Friday, April 4th, will be assessed a $100.00 penalty if scheduled to attend both days, and a $60.00 penalty if scheduled for one day only. Please send registrations to OPAA by April 4th.

OPAA is now providing all course materials in electronic format. Approximately 48 hours prior to the course date, seminar registrants will receive an email that will include a link to the secure course materials. Since reliable wi-fi access at meeting facilities cannot be guaranteed, we suggest registrants download the materials to their devices or print the material for use during the seminar.

The guest room rate at the Hilton Columbus at Polaris is $169.00 for single or double occupancy. All beds are King size. Phone reservations may be made directly at the Hilton Columbus at Polaris number (614) 885-1600 and ask for the Reservations Department or their direct toll-free reservation number 1-888-864-8055. It is imperative that individuals indicate your group affiliation when making your reservations, which is 2025 Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys. Online reservations can be made at the following link:

(tiny URL https://tinyurl.com/yjvjzm4t) The cut-off date for our room rate is Monday, March 17, 2025, at midnight. Check-in time is 3:00PM and check-out time is 12:00PM. Upon check-in, guests will be asked to verify their departure date. At that time, scheduled departure dates can be altered. Early check-out changes made thereafter shall be subject to a $75.00 administrative fee. Departure extensions are based upon availability. On-site complimentary parking is available, but valet parking is not available.

A credit card is required for reservations. In the event of cancellation, no cancellation fees will be charged if you cancel before 11:59 PM local time on April 15, 2025. A hold may be placed on your card account for the full anticipated amount to be owed to the hotel, including estimated incidentals, through your date of check-out and such hold may not be released for 72 hours from the date of check-out or longer at the discretion of your card issuer.

To avoid paying tax, accommodation for each guest needs to provide a State of Ohio Sales Tax Exemption Form and if applicable the City of Columbus Tax Exemption form, preferably upon arrival. The Tax form(s) may also be sent in advance by email to Angela Martin at amartin@hiltonpolaris.com or Christine Bowman at cbowman@hiltonpolaris.com. The email must contain the reservation information for the guest and their arrival date. If the county wishes to pay by card but the guest is not permitted to carry a company credit card, then you may contact Angela or Christine for a credit card authorization form, and they will send you a Canary Link. The credit card must have the company name on the card. The name on the tax exemption forms must match the name on the credit card. Personal payment, even though it will be reimbursed by the office, is not tax exempt by state law.

Our contract with the Hilton Columbus at Polaris anticipates that attendees will pay the above rate of $169.00 for guest rooms. Attendees SHOULD NOT request the government rate as it violates the spirit, if not the letter of our agreement.

NOTE: If any registrant has special dietary needs, please contact Diana at 614-221-1266 or diana@ohiopa.org, on or before Friday, April 4th, so that advance arrangements can be made with the venue. OPAA will accommodate requests if they can be supplied by the venue without additional cost. Any additional cost must be borne by the registrant, and they will be notified in advance.

NOTE: If any registrant has special dietary needs, please contact Diana at 614-221-1266, on or before April 12th so that advance arrangements can be made with the venue. OPAA will accommodate requests if they can be supplied by the venue without additional cost. Any additional cost must be borne by the registrant, and they will be notified in advance.