Ray Nolting
Neosho County Sheriff Greg Taylor and interim County Attorney Tiana McElroy won the election in Tuesday’s balloting.
Taylor and McElroy will begin serving their four-year terms in January. This will be Taylor’s second term and it will be McElroy’s first term. She takes over the seat left open when former County Attorney Linus Thuston retired in August amid a Kansas Bureau of Investigation probe into his handling of office affairs. He has since pleaded to two misdemeanor charges and served a short term in jail. Thuston’s elected term was to expire in January.
Taylor said he was pleased with the election turnout. He defeated Democratic challenger Paul Ornelas 5,350 to 1,183.
“I’m extremely humbled by just the amount of support Neosho County has always showed me,” Taylor said.
He said he has been in the career for 26 years and he’s pleased that voters want him around for at least another four. He’s also pleased with McElroy taking over as the county prosecutor. He thinks she will be honest and fair with everyone.
“I think for the first time in a long time we’re actually going to have some honest justice in Neosho County for a change. And that I’m very happy about,” Taylor said.
Taylor opened felony investigations into Thuston’s office, including the incidents that led to Thuston’s misdemeanor pleas.
He said he and his deputies and investigators have goals to move drug and criminal investigations forward.
For the last several years, he said only a handful of cases turned over the county attorney were prosecuted.
“At least now when we send over a case … I think it’s going to get viewed fairly and not just set on a shelf (until) the statute of limitations runs out. And I don’t think people will be getting off because somebody is related to some girl that was formerly giving him pictures.”
Taylor began his career in law enforcement as a deputy sheriff in 1998 for Sheriff Jim Keath. He served as patrol lieutenant, lieutenant detective and undersheriff before running for the sheriff’s seat when Keath decided against seeking re-election.
McElroy won election over Independent challenger Sheryl Bussell, 4,121 to 2,254.
McElroy has been a practicing attorney since 2004. She’s handled domestic cases, civil cases and began a career as a prosecutor in 2018. She was most recently the county attorney in Bourbon County before taking over in Neosho County.
McElroy was not available for comment.
The results of Tuesday’s balloting aren’t final until the county board of canvassers meets.
