Featured OH News Stories:
Jefferson County, Ohio Girl Helps Police Make Arrest
Steve Mazure
27 Sep 2006 9:32 am
[The suspect] of Burgettstown, Pa., is charged with importuning, stemming from allegations he solicited sex from a 15-year-old girl he met online.
The girl was actually an under-cover police officer.
Police set up the sting after a real 15-year-old told police she and [the suspect] had suggestive conversations.
The officer eventually told [him] they would meet in Brilliant, Ohio.
When he arrvied at the rendezvous location, police took him into custody. He is now being held at the Jefferson County (Ohio) Justice Facility
Prosecutors are now trying to determine if the case should be tried in Pennsylvania or Ohio.
Lawsuit seeks removal of sex offender
16 Sep 2006 12:00 am
Warren Law Director Gregory Hicks has filed a lawsuit against a man classified as a sexually oriented offender for living within 1,000 feet of Horace Mann Elementary School.
The complaint, filed Friday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court, asks a judge to rule that Sidney Jordan of Hamilton Street Southwest be required to move from the home. The case is assigned to Judge W. Wyatt McKay.
DNA Evidence Provides Break In 1966 Cold Case
14 Sep 2006 6:15 PM
Detectives said a 40-year-old cold case is finally closed as DNA evidence provided the key to finding out who killed a 19-year-old go-go dancer in Knox County.
On October 30, 1966, a milkman discovered Linda Kohlmier, who was bludgeoned to death on New Gambier Road, NBC 4's Barbra Flannigan reported.
Kohlmier was a go-go dancer, who authorities said was victimized a second time by vicious rumors.
"There is no connection to prostitution in the case. She was stalked by a convicted sexual predator," said Knox County Sheriff David Barber.
Investigators closed the case in 1977, but Barber reopened it in 1998 after boxes of evidence were discovered.
Wigs, boots and even fingerprints were found, but a solid lead was missing until DNA samples matched with a Michigan man who has a criminal record.
"The convicted sex offender lived here in Knox County in 1966. He was in his early 20s," Barber said.
Officials said the suspect has a record from 1959 to 1983 of attacking women, stealing purses and attempted rape.
The man died of natural causes in 1997. He remains anonymous because he has not been charged.
Official May Be Fired For Allowing Sex Offender To Go Door To Door
NewsNet5
06 Sep 2006 9:57 am
A 5 On Your Side investigation has prompted calls for the firing of a top city official.
NewsChannel5 reported William Desvari is Lorain's chief building inspector.
In July, a 5 On Your Side investigation asked how he could hire a registered sex offender to go door to door in the city.
Sex predator living near bus stop for two years
Michael O'Mara
29 Aug 2006 7:20 pm
Setting up the bus schedule for a major school district like Cleveland Heights-University Heights is a logistic nightmare for the transportation department.
So many kids -- so many bus stops.
But when the school bus rolls up to a stop on Severence Circle, the children have to wait just just a few yards away from Dennis Moore. He's a convicted sex offender and a registered sexual predator.
SEX OFFENDERS
Plan gains to publicly identify accused
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU
29 Aug 2006 12:00 am
An Ohio legislative panel yesterday rubber-stamped an unprecedented process that would allow sex offenders to be publicly identified and tracked even if they've never been charged with a crime.
No one in attendance voiced opposition to rules submitted by Attorney General Jim Petro's office to the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, consisting of members of the Ohio House and Senate.
The committee's decision not to interfere with the rules puts Ohio in a position to become the first state to test a "civil registry."
The concept was offered by Roman Catholic bishops as an alternative to opening a one-time window for the filing of civil lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse that occurred as long as 35 years ago.
A recently enacted law allows county prosecutors, the state attorney general, or, as a last resort, alleged victims to ask judges to civilly declare someone to be a sex offender even when there has been no criminal verdict or successful lawsuit.
Pedophile Says Sex with Kids is a Sacred Civil Right
Jim Kouri
06 Aug 2006 4:32 am
An admitted pedophile accused of having sex with young boys told the judge during a pre-trial hearing that having sex with children is a "sacred ritual protected by civil rights laws." The predator allegedly chose victims who suffered from physical or mental disabilities.
Phillip Distasio, an avowed pedophile, claims he's the pastor of the church called Arcadian Fields Ministries. Distasio is charged with over 70 counts including rape and giving drugs to minors.
"I'm a pedophile. I've been a pedophile for 20 years," he announced in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Wednesday. "The only reason I'm charged with rape is that no one believes a child can consent to sex. The role of my ministry is to get these cases out of the courtrooms."
Man admits raping sisters
Tom Sheehan
11 May 2006 12:00 am
A Buckeye Lake man told investigators he only had sex with two young sisters to educate them.
Andrew Cramer, 46, faces up to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty yesterday to three counts each of rape and gross sexual imposition for having sex with the girls, who are now teenagers.
Cramer was scheduled to go to trial yesterday in a case in which three other men already have been convicted of abusing the 13-year-old girl last year. Those men received sentences of between two and 24 years in prison.
Ohio priest found guilty of 1980 murder of nun
Bill Frogameni
11 May 2006 6:18 pm
A 68-year-old Catholic priest was found guilty in the 1980 murder of an elderly nun, a crime that prosecutors said had Satanic undertones and may have been covered up by church leaders.
Indiana Man Gets Probation In Online Sex Sting
02 May 2006 4:50 pm
In January, Burris chatted online and solicited sex from who he thought was 14-year-old girl. Police said he traveled to Fairborn to meet her.
The teenage girl turned out to be an undercover detective.
Sex Offender Arrested In Belmont County, Ohio
Steve Mazure
28 Apr 2006 8:26 am
24-year-old Josh Lennox has served time for rape, corruption of a minor and intimidation of a witness. He was out under community control sanctions when police picked him up for a parole violation.
Davis jailed immediately after pleading guilty to rape
BRUCE CADWALLADER
28 Apr 2006 2:53 pm
Over the objections of her defense attorney, a judge sent a surprised Twyana Davis to jail immediately today after she pleaded guilty to raping a cousin 10 years ago.
Local Lawmaker Proposes New Law For Sex Offenders
28 Apr 2006 3:44 pm
Keeping an eye on convicted sex offenders who are now back on the streets has become a huge concern to many parents in recent years.
Now, parents may soon get a lot of help from a new law that has been proposed by State Sen. Steve Austria of Beavercreek. He is proposing the use of satellite tracking from paroled offenders.
Officials: Sex Offender Lives Too Close To School
Joe Pagonakis
28 Apr 2006 6:29 pm
Fonte is a convicted sex offender who is listed on the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department's Web site.
Police have classified Fonte as a habitual offender. Police said he used his computer to lure young girls into a sexual relationship.
Fonte's felony sex convictions aren't the whole story. Fonte's apartment on Ridge Road is less than one block from Bethany Lutheran School, where 400 elementary students attend school.
Crenshaw Not Guilty Of Failing To Report Child Abuse
John Ivanic
28 Apr 2006 6:58 pm
Former Mifflin High School Principal Regina Crenshaw was found not guilty Friday of failing to report child abuse.
Crenshaw was accused of failing to notify officials about a sexual assault that occurred in the high school in March 2005.
Offender registry glitch is fixed
The Associated Press
27 Apr 2006 1:32 pm
The state attorney general's office has fixed a flaw in Ohio's online sex offender registry that omitted numerous offenders from results for one type of search, a spokesman said Wednesday.
Man gets 90 days in jail for child-skirt photo
ELIZABETH A. SHACK
28 Apr 2006
A Port Clinton man who tried to take a photo under the skirt of a 12-year-old girl at the Woodville Mall was given the maximum possible sentence yesterday of 90 days in jail for two misdemeanor voyeurism-related convictions.
Richard R. Cantu, 51, also was fined $750 by Perrysburg Municipal Judge S. Dwight Osterud.
Former Cop Pleads Guilty To Sexual Contact With Teen Relative
24 Apr 2006 4:44 pm
Thomas Wyatt II, 32, is charged with sexual imposition, a misdemeanor. He has been ordered to pay a $250 fine and will continue counseling, NewsChannel5 reported.
Prosecutors said the 16-year veteran had sexual contact with a teenage girl who is related to him.
Former Corrections Officer Charged With Importuning
Jay Warren
24 Apr 2006 10:26 pm
A former Hamilton County corrections officer and part-time Mt. Healthy police officer is charged with trying to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex.
Police in Yellow Springs, Ohio conducting an Internet sex sting arrested Jason Etler of Colerain Township.
Ex-police officer gets fine, suspended sentence in fondling case
24 Apr 2006
Wyatt, 36, had been found guilty March 8 of sexual imposition, a third-degree misdemeanor. He was accused of fondling and touching an underage girl between 2001 and 2003.
Wyatt is one of several Jackson officers and employees this year who have been accused of unethical or criminal behavior.
Uncle jailed in baby killing
A Stark County man was jailed Saturday on charges that he raped and murdered his 7 ½-month-old niece.
Investigators said Henry Sunderman cared for Zoey, her 7-year-old brother and 5-year-old and 2-year-old sisters in their Waynesburg home while the children's 26-year-old mother, Leslie Sunderman, was at work.
Father Of Murdered Child Supports Ohio Sex Offender Bill
Dayton native Mark Lunsford testified in support of a bill that would require judges to sentence defendants convicted of raping children under 13 to at least 25 years in prison.
Lunsford says it's important to look past the expense of longer prison terms and think about the value of saving even one life.
Ohio Stepfather in Syringe Rape Convicted
Grimm, now 23, told reporters that she was pleased with the verdict and that she hoped her case would help other victims.
"Just speak out," she said. "Someone will help."
Sex offender notice proposed
Nineteen registered sex offenders live in this growing Warren County community. But most residents probably don't know it.
The information is public record. Their names and photographs are listed on county and state Web sites. But state law requires residents be notified only when the worst offenders move in.
Township Trustee Chris Romano wants to go a step further.
Girl, 9, Uses Judo To Fight Attacker
Officers said Goza broke into the girl’s West 179th Street home in the middle of the night on March 26.
The police said he tried to rape her in her bedroom, but the girl knew Judo and fought him off.
Woman Testifies in Syringe Rape Retrial
A young woman testified Wednesday that she repeatedly tried to kill herself because of haunting flashbacks of her stepfather impregnating her with a syringe eight years ago.
GOP puts judge’s ouster on fast track
Ohio lawmakers vowed yesterday to swiftly start the process that could remove a Franklin County judge who sentenced an admitted child molester to probation. However, others warned that the unprecedented effort to oust a sitting judge could endanger the independence of the courts.
600 sexual predator notices misdirected
More than 600 Clark County residents were mistakenly notified last month that a sexual predator moved to their neighborhood, and residents who should have received the mailings did not.
Probation not all that rare for sex offenders
Probation for sex offenders also isn’t unusual among judges across Ohio. Before Connor sentenced Andrew S. Selva to five years of probation in December, his law clerk presented him with six cases in which judges sentenced men originally accused of rape, gross sexual imposition or sexual battery to probation.
Poll -- Should a sex offender always be sentenced to prison instead of treatment?
