Auglaize County Prosecutor Ed Pierce has retired. Pierce made the announcement in a press release on Thursday. Pierce served as Auglaize County Prosecutor since January of 1997. Pierce had a career that spanned over 40 years. Pierce also worked as an assistant prosecutor for 13 years prior to becoming prosecutor. It is expected that Auglaize County Assistant prosecutor Ben Edler will succeed Ed Pierce. Elder has experience as an Assistant Prosecutor in Richland and Sandusky Counties for 10 years prior to coming to Auglaize County.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APRIL 3, 2025

Auglaize County Prosecuting Attorney, Edwin A. Pierce, announced today that he will be retiring as Auglaize County Prosecuting Attorney effective April 8, 2025 at 8:15 a.m. Prosecutor Pierce has served as the elected prosecuting attorney since January of 1997, having first been elected in the 1996 General Election. Pierce has worked in the Auglaize County Prosecutor’s Office for over 41 years, having served as an assistant prosecutor for 13 years prior to becoming the elected prosecutor. Prosecuting Attorney Pierce is the longest serving elected prosecutor in Auglaize County history, having been elected eight times.

Pierce stated his time with the prosecutor’s office has been rewarding, challenging and sometimes frustrating but added the time has passed very quickly. This has been a wonderful career but I am very much looking forward to a new chapter in my life. Pierce remarked one of the best parts of his job has been the people of Auglaize County he has been able to work with, including other local government officials and employees, law enforcement officers, local attorneys, but most importantly, the members of the prosecutor’s staff over his 41 years.

Pierce has also been very active in the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association (OPAA) serving on the Executive Committee and other various committees for a number of years. In addition, Pierce served as OPAA’s President in 2014.

Prosecutor Pierce states he is leaving the Prosecutor’s Office in great hands as he anticipates Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Ben Elder will follow him in office. Pierce stated Ben is a true professional and also is a career prosecutor. Ben has served as an Auglaize County assistant prosecuting attorney since 2012, handling the most serious and difficult felony cases to come before the courts. Ben’s experience also includes serving as Richland and Sandusky County assistant prosecutor for a combined ten years prior to his service in Auglaize County. In particular, Ben was instrumental in the prosecution of a 1981 ‘cold case’ homicide occurring in Auglaize County. This prosecution resulted in the convictions in 2014 and 2015 of three individuals responsible for the homicide of an elderly St. Marys man. The OPAA thereafter recognized Ben as the “Outstanding Assistant Prosecuting Attorney” in 2015 due to his exceptional work on the 1981 “cold case”. Pierce went on to state “Ben is particularly qualified, extremely competent and dedicated to carry on the important work of the Prosecutor’s Office.”

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