SIDNEY — Sidney native and local attorney William R. Zimmerman Jr. has announced his candidacy for the position of Shelby County Prosecuting Attorney in 2024.

His announcement comes on the heels of current County Prosecutor Timothy S. Sell announcing his bid for judge of the Court of Common Pleas next year.

Zimmerman, 44, is currently the chief assistant prosecutor for Sell in the Prosecutor’s Office. He is a lifetime resident of Sidney, and along with Attorney Heath Hegemann, is a founding partner of the law firm Hegemann & Zimmerman Co., LPA.

“Service to my community has always played an integral role in my life and I am excited for the opportunity to serve as county prosecutor,” said Zimmerman.

“I have had the privilege of learning under Tim as an assistant prosecutor for more than a decade and I feel that his guidance has more than prepared me for this role. I look forward to working alongside our local county law enforcement agencies with cohesion and ingenuity.”

Zimmerman graduated from Lehman Catholic High School in 1997, and is a graduate of Ball State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 2001. Zimmerman attended Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in 2004, and has been a practicing attorney in Shelby County since 2005.

As the Chief Assistant Prosecutor for Shelby County, Zimmerman has handled all aspects of felony prosecutions, including dozens of jury trials. Zimmerman is a well-versed trial attorney, having gained his experience as a former assistant public defender and private criminal defense attorney in Shelby County, prior to his tenure in the prosecutor’s office.

Zimmerman is a member of the Shelby County Bar Association, previously serving as its president, and is a member of the Ohio Bar Association. In 2018, he, along with Sell, also successfully prosecuted the first murder trial in Shelby County in over 25 years.

He also serves as the Shelby County Law librarian and the village solicitor for the villages of Fort Loramie and Port Jefferson.

Zimmerman is an active member of the Shelby County community, currently serving on the Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities as well as the Big Four Passenger Station Preservation Board.

Zimmerman previously served on the Holy Angels School Board, the Sidney Visitors Bureau Board, the Lehman High School Alumni Association Board, the Raise the Roof for the Arts Board (past president), the Holy Angels Parish Council and the Gateway Arts Council.

Current involvements include serving as the Executive Director of the 11th Hour Theatre Company and as the offensive coordinator for the Lehman Catholic High School Cavaliers football team. He has directed the Lehman musical each year since 2015.

In 2012, Zimmerman received the Geraldine B. Nelson Advocacy Award given by the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services based on his advocacy in the mental health system.

Zimmerman’s father, William Sr., was a former practitioner with his son and currently serves as judge on the Third District Court of Appeals. Zimmerman and his wife, Tricia, a teacher for Sidney City Schools, reside in Sidney with their three daughters, Leah, Zoe and Audrey.