Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 13, 2023
Zanesville man who lied to grand jury convicted of perjury
A Muskingum County jury found Wayne Gheen, 40, of Zanesville, guilty of perjury Tuesday afternoon after hearing from Det. Randy Wilson in a case presented by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gerald Anderson.
Gheen was present in a local drinking establishment when a dispute broke out between a Columbus motorcycle gang
member and a female patron, according to detectives. The Columbus man pulled out a gun, a local man also produced a gun, and the crowd at the bar rapidly dispersed. Gheen was seen on video observing the persons leaving the bar.
Many witnesses were uncooperative with law enforcement or pretended that they did not witness the events that unfolded in an effort to not participate in the criminal case.
Gheen and numerous other bar patrons were called before the Muskingum County Grand Jury to give testimony about what occurred at the bar. After being sworn in, Gheen lied about what occurred at the bar, lied about what he saw and lied about his previous interactions with officers.
Being subpoenaed to Grand Jury as a witness is considered a civic obligation. Like service on the jury itself, being a witness is not a voluntary process and anyone served with a subpoena must appear. Further, persons can neither refuse to testify, nor lie under oath. Perjury is a crime which occurs when a person tells a lie, while under oath, and the lie pertains to material and relevant information.
The trial jury heard from Det. Randy Wilson, who investigated the case, and had access to the grand jury transcripts, and audio recordings which proved Gheen lied during his testimony before the grand jury.
“Unfortunately we’re seeing perjury occur more and more often, and it’s one of the crimes that fundamentally undermines our judicial system,” Assistant Prosecutor Anderson said. “We take it very seriously because justice can only be obtained when the truth comes out in our legal proceedings.”
The crime of perjury is punishable by imprisonment up to 36 months.
Gheen faces sentencing at a later date.
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