LISBON, Ohio - A trial that had been scheduled to get underway for former Assistant Columbiana County Prosecutor John Gamble has been pushed back until early next year.

At the request of the Ohio Attorney General's Office, visiting Judge David Stucki granted a continuance in the case until January 31, 2024. Court records did not disclose why the state sought the delay.

Gamble faces four misdemeanor charges of complicity to commit an offense for a Facebook message he posted during a failed political campaign for the top spot in the prosecutor's office.

In March 2021, Judge Stucki dismissed the charges that were levied against the former Senior Assistant Prosecutor, who lost his election bid to become county prosecutor in the previous November.

At issue was Gamble's Facebook page, which showed pictures of him posing with local law enforcement officers posted after Gamble was endorsed by the county Democratic Party to run as their candidate for county prosecutor.

Democratic Gamble lost the race to a current prosecutor, Republican Vito Abruzzino. 

The complaint alleged that Gamble was an accomplice in violating Ohio's law prohibiting political activity, other than voting, by classified civil service employees.

The complaint specifically named two East Liverpool Police Officers, neither of whom were charged in the case.