The Ohio Auditor’s Office said it is reviewing a request from the Trumbull County Recorder asking the state to open an investigation into her predecessor and a records software vendor, following a major system outage last year.

Recorder Dawn Zinni-Hanni formally submitted a letter to the auditor seeking an investigation into former Recorder Tod Latell and Document Technology Systems, also known as DTS, alleging "corruption, cybersecurity failures and abuse of office."

Zinni-Hanni alleges Latell violated Ohio law by accepting employment with a software company after steering a county contract to that vendor while serving as recorder. Latell denies the allegations and said he is retaining legal counsel.

At the center of Zinni-Hanni’s request is what she describes as an unlawful revolving-door employment conflict involving county records software.

In her letter, Zinni-Hanni writes, “Immediately after leaving office, he [Latell] obtained employment with DTS, the same vendor whose contract he proposed to Trumbull County and ultimately approved as County Recorder.”

She cites Ohio Revised Code 102.03, stating “This conduct appears to violate" ORC "which prohibits former public officials from profiting from or representing interests tied to contracts they approved or influenced for one year after leaving office.

“No present or former public official or employee shall, during public employment or service or for twelve months thereafter, represent a client or act in a representative capacity for any person on any matter in which the public official or employee personally participated as a public official or employee through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or other substantial exercise of administrative discretion," according to the official statute. 

County records show Trumbull County’s most recent contract with DTS was signed May 17, 2023.

DTS owner Mark Swihart told 21 News that Latell began working for DTS around Feb. 1, 2025.

Zinni-Hanni is also asking the state to examine whether Latell’s employment with DTS is connected to a major security system disruption that shut down the Trumbull County Recorder’s Office in November 2025.

Latell denies all allegations, calling them “absolutely false,” and said he plans to pursue legal action against Zinni-Hanni.

Latell also denies any connection between his position with DTS and the security outage, telling 21 News that while he works for DTS, he never worked with Trumbull County as a DTS employee and had no access to county IT systems. He further denies violating the law and said he sought legal advice over the matter. 

DTS owner Mark Swihart said Latell sells software only, has no access to hardware or county systems and received no compensation tied to Trumbull County’s contract.

Swihart added that county IT departments manage their own cybersecurity.

Trumbull County remains under contract with DTS, though Zinni-Hanni said her office is exploring other potential vendors.

The Ohio Auditor’s Office has not yet said whether it will open a formal investigation, but said it is reviewing the letter Zinni-Hanni sent.