Honk News (Lima, OH) – A man from Lima, who faced charges for engaging in sexual contact with a minor, received a three-year prison sentence on Wednesday.
Nathan Stephens, 20, was present in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court following his guilty plea in November to a charge of gross sexual imposition, classified as a third-degree felony.
A Van Wert County grand jury indicted him last summer on two counts of first-degree felony kidnapping, one count of second-degree felony kidnapping, and two counts of gross sexual imposition, which are third-degree felonies. On January 31, 2024, it was claimed that Stephens limited the freedom of and engaged in sexual acts with a female who was 7 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
At the end of the previous year, he reached a deal with prosecutors and admitted guilt to one third-degree felony charge of gross sexual imposition, resulting in the state dropping the other charges.
Judge Martin Burchfield emphasized that the victim’s age played a significant role in determining his sentence. On Wednesday, the courtroom was attended by the young girl’s parents.
Stephens, along with his lawyer Robert Gryzbowski, requested that the judge consider a sentence of probation coupled with house arrest.
Stephens, classified as a Tier II sex offender, must register with local authorities every 180 days for the next 25 years. He will undergo five years of supervision following his release from incarceration.