A former Canal Fulton income tax administrator is facing criminal charges after investigators say he threw away residents' W-2s, uncashed checks and tax records rather than process them. William Keltner, 56, appeared in Massillon Municipal Court Thursday morning on one count each of tampering with evidence, dereliction of duty and falsification.
The charges were filed in Massillon Municipal Court on Wednesday, according to Cleveland 19 News, which reports the Stark County Sheriff's Office brought the case against Keltner. Investigators allege Keltner failed to file city income-tax returns, failed to deposit checks that came through his office, and did not keep accurate income-tax records. He is also accused of throwing away multiple unprocessed checks and tax records in what investigators described as an effort to hide them.
How the Alleged Scheme Came to Light
Keltner was investigated in 2025 over allegations that he threw residents' income tax documents into the garbage, the station reports. The outlet says it first obtained public records tied to the case during an unrelated records request concerning then-city manager Dan Bucher — a file that reportedly included Keltner's disciplinary records connected to the tax-document investigation.
A discipline letter dated Feb. 20, 2025, alleged that Keltner threw residents' W-2s and unprocessed checks into the garbage, per the same account. Keltner was notified he was under investigation that February and resigned from his city position on Feb. 25, 2025. The complaint against him was referred to the Ohio auditor's office for further review.
State Audit Found Receipts Stuffed in a Desk Drawer
The Ohio auditor's office returned its findings in October 2025, identifying weaknesses in Canal Fulton's income-tax processing controls during 2023 and 2024. The audit reported that several batches of income-tax receipts were found unprocessed, sitting in a desk drawer rather than being deposited or recorded. State auditors recommended that the city rotate duties among staff or add additional oversight reviews to prevent a repeat.
Canal Fulton had already moved away from in-house tax collection by the time the audit findings came back. The city enlisted the Regional Income Tax Agency, known as RITA, in July 2025 to take over municipal tax administration. Canal Fulton's transition was part of a broader wave that year — according to Bloomberg Tax, Canal Fulton and New Lebanon both joined RITA for local tax administration effective Oct. 1, 2025, following 18 other Ohio municipalities that had signed on earlier that year. RITA is a regional income-tax administrator that collects income taxes on behalf of participating Ohio municipalities, and Canal Fulton's city tax rate is 2%, compared with New Lebanon's 1%, Bloomberg Tax reported.
Bond Set at $10,000, Hearing Set for November
After Thursday's court appearance, Keltner reported to the Stark County jail for booking and fingerprinting. The court set his bond at $10,000, and he was released on bond afterward. Cleveland 19 News reported that Keltner did not have an attorney in court Wednesday and that none was listed on the court docket.
Keltner is due back in Massillon Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. on Nov. 13. The station said it reached out to both the Stark County Sheriff's Office and Canal Fulton's mayor for comment on the case.
What the Charges Could Mean
Ohio law defines dereliction of duty as a public servant recklessly failing to perform a duty imposed by law or tied to that official's office, classifying a violation as a second-degree misdemeanor, according to Ohio Revised Code Section 2921.44.
