Login | November 05, 2026
Poly-Tech Associates approaches 50; how it’s adapted to legal and technological changes
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SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: November 5, 2026
When criminal defense attorney Max Hiltner’s client was facing rape charges several years ago, one of the first things he did was arrange for a polygraph test.
“While the tests are not automatically admissible in court, I use them to help verify my clients’ statements, which reassures me,” said Hiltner, founder of Hiltner Trial Lawyers in Akron. “But more importantly, the tests can help prevent charges from being filed in the first place or lead to the charges being reduced.
“If I’m representing a defendant in court, the results assist me in building a case.”
In this instance, Hiltner’s client was a minor who was accused of raping a child.
The teenager, a high school student at the time, underwent both a polygraph test and an EyeDetect scan, which tracks involuntary eye behaviors to help uncover deception.
The tests were administered by Poly-Tech Associates Inc.
Founded by William (Bill) D. Evans II, the Summit County-based business has been operating in northeast Ohio for almost
“My client passed both tests with flying colors,” said Hiltner. “We turned the results over to the prosecution and police, and no charges were filed.
“He could have been facing a life sentence,” said Hiltner, who has utilized Poly-Tech’s services for about 13 years.
“I’ve had a lot of serious criminal cases thrown out before and after charges were filed based on polygraph tests,” said Hiltner.
Over at Koblentz, Penvose & Froning, managing partner Rich Koblentz utilizes Poly-Tech’s services when representing clients in a variety of matters.
“The tests help us advocate for our clients as well as let us know if they are being truthful,” said Koblentz. “For example, I represented a lawyer with a fiduciary duty involving a client’s bank account. The attorney had a personal account at the same institution.
“He accidentally withdrew funds from his client’s account instead of his personal account, and the polygraph helped convince me and others of his innocence.”
While Evans has made a name for himself as a polygraphist around the state and beyond, he never planned to specialize in the area when he first started his career.
Raised in Green, Evans earned an associate of applied science in criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree in technical education from The University of Akron, allowing him to teach criminal justice.
He also holds a master’s degree in technical education, with a focus in criminal justice, from UA.
But it wasn’t until the Summit County Sheriff’s Office sent him to the National Training Center of Polygraph Science in New York City in 1977 that he entered the profession.
At the time, he was an officer, but he was quickly promoted to detective upon his return.
“I always wanted to go to law school, and I saw law enforcement as a steppingstone into understanding law and the court process, but I never anticipated going to polygraph school,” said Evans.
He started Poly-Tech Associates the same year he graduated from the program in New York City.
In September 1979, he left law enforcement to take a position at Cleveland-based Fisher Foods Inc.
“It was a $1.6 billion conglomerate with nine subsidiary companies — larger than Goodyear at the time as I recall,” said Evans.
“I was lured away from law enforcement, which I loved, into the corporate world while developing Poly-Tech,” said Evans.
That same year, he became an adjunct faculty member in The University of Akron’s Department of Criminal Justice Studies.
“My business grew and I couldn’t continue working two full-time jobs while also teaching part time and planning a family,” said Evans.
He decided to leave Fisher Foods in 1984 to devote his full attention to Poly-Tech Associates.
“Back in 1988, I was nearly put out of business by the Employee Polygraph Protection Act,” he said.
“When the law went into effect, it regulated how polygraph examinations could be used in the private sector,” Evans said.
“That was a major part of our business, so I had to amplify the volume of public sector tests that we were conducting, and I knew that would take some time.”
The shift prompted Evans to revisit his original goal of becoming a lawyer.
He earned his Juris Doctor from Akron Law in 1991.
Evans was initially a solo practitioner, but he later joined a law firm with attorneys Carmen Roberto and George Vasko.
“Carmen primarily did criminal defense work, and George did labor and employment law, and I primarily handled the personal injury cases,” said Evans.
“Before becoming an attorney, I had worked closely with the premier personal injury firm Scanlon & Gearinger,” he said. “I investigated their injury cases.”
After Vasko, Roberto & Evans dissolved, Evans returned to private practice, where he now focuses on business law.
Evans is a member of the Akron, Ohio State and American bar associations as well as the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
He is also a bencher of the Charles F. Scanlon and Judge Samuel H. Bell American Inn of Court.
A nationally certified polygraph examiner, Evans has served as an expert witness at the request of both prosecutors and defense attorneys.
“I’ve testified countless times over the years in federal, state and local courts,” said Evans.
He recently moved Poly-Tech Associates from 1185 S. Main St. in Akron to 3700 Massillon Rd. in the city of Green.
There is also a satellite office in Cleveland.
“We primarily focus on criminal polygraph testing, but also administer pre-employment polygraph tests for many police, fire and EMS agencies in northeast Ohio,” said Evans. “For many years, we also did panel interviews for promotions within the ranks of police and fire, which included testing developed by psychologists.
“Right now, we’re focusing on our core business of forensic polygraph tests for attorneys, prosecutors and public sector employers.”
In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Evans also worked with municipalities to create Continuation of Government (COG) plans and Continuation of Operations Plans (COOP) to ensure local governments could maintain essential functions and services in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
Evans currently has four employees and works with a part-time consultant, Dennis Doverspike, Ph.D.
“Bill and I have collaborated for many years,” said Doverspike. “My work with his police and fire department clients includes conducting psychological assessments and developing comprehensive selection processes for entry-level hiring and promotions.
“Poly-Tech provides an important service to the community by helping police and fire departments select qualified officers and firefighters based on merit principles,” said Doverspike. “Bill has earned a well-deserved reputation as an expert in polygraph services, both in Ohio and across the country.”
One of Evans’ ongoing goals is to ensure Poly-Tech Associates always uses the latest technology and methodologies.
“I was the first in Ohio to use computerized polygraphs back in 1995,” said Evans. “I was fortunate to have trained at the Department of Defense Polygraph Institute for that technology upgrade.
“Recently I became the first in the country to combine both polygraph and ocular lie detection in some cases, which results in increased outcome confidence intervals relative to lie detection.
“I view the new ocular technology as the objective equivalent of a radiologist having a second opinion or having AI read the scan for a doctor making a diagnosis,” said Evans. “It’s a second opinion that may bolster the initial opinion or offer a more comprehensive analysis under a different theory.”
While he has moved locations, he said his goal remains the same.
“My former building had metal lettering stating it was the ‘Truth and Law Building,’” said Evans. “I will continue to uphold those principles.”
In January, Evans will speak at the National Polygraph Association’s annual seminar in Las Vegas.
“One of the topics I will discuss is the Daubert proceeding for qualifying a confidential examination as evidence,” said Evans. “This process allows for testimony regarding the efficacy of polygraphs and permits the expert to testify in a hearing.
“The judge then decides whether the evidence will be permitted to be presented at trial,” said Evans.
Though he has no intention of retiring in the foreseeable future, he said he does plan to spend more time with his family and schedule a vacation now and then.
“One of my daughters is a senior vice president with KeyBank, and the other is in senior management with Indeed,” said Evans. “I’m very proud of them both!”