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LISBON -- Life in prison without parole -- that's the punishment dished out Friday to convicted rapist David Jones for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl.
Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton tacked on an additional five years for gross sexual imposition for Jones improperly touching the girl.
The former 35-year-old East Palestine resident who was living in Ypsilanti, Mich. when charges were filed will have the rest of his life to think about what he did during the 2014 to 2016 time period when the sexual conduct occurred.
Ensuring that no other little girl suffered what she did was a goal of the now 13-year-old young lady in this case. She took the stand during the jury trial and made a statement during the sentencing, facing her attacker as family members supported her from their seats.
She also said she wanted the defendant to know what he did was wrong and that there were consequences for what he did. Those goals were met. She doesn't want to be seen as a victim.
"I've decided to stay strong," the girl said.
As she was going through the process which began when she was 10 years old after she disclosed the sexual assaults, she said she realized "I need to advocate for myself and get justice."
Bickerton thanked her for coming forward, for testifying and for making her statement.
"You are a survivor. What you've done is very brave," she said, adding "you are protecting others."
Bickerton wasn't as kind when she addressed Jones, telling him the jury got it right.
She described his reactions and responses as horrific, noting she sat through the trial and a previous hearing listening to all the evidence. She found the way he explained away a previous child endangering incident with his young son as appalling.
A jury comprised of five women and seven men began deliberations Friday morning after the three-day trial, emerging with a verdict roughly three and half hours later. Jones was found guilty of one count of first-degree felony rape, with the jury signing a special finding that the child victim was under the age of 10 when the rape occurred. They found him not guilty on two additional rape charges.
The jury also found him guilty of sexual battery, a second-degree felony, and gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony. All the charges involved the same child.
Defense attorney Lawrence Stacey II asked for the jury to be polled, with each of the 12 saying that was their verdict. After dismissing the jurors, Bickerton called for a 15-minute break, during which time county Assistant Prosecutors Steve Yacovone and Tammie Riley Jones talked to them briefly. A handful of the jurors stayed and sat in the audience for the sentencing.
Tammie Riley Jones explained that the three rape charges represented three different types of sexual conduct and the jury apparently believed that at least one of those charges met the burden required for a guilty verdict.
"Child sexual assault cases are difficult, they're complicated," she said.
She credited the multi-disciplinary approach of the investigation for the success of the verdict, thanking the East Palestine Police Department, the Children's Advocacy Center and the prosecutor's office investigators for their efforts.
"We're very glad that justice was served," she said.
She and Yacovone spoke with the girl and her family after the sentencing and said they were all very grateful that the girl's three goals were met. During her statement, she said it was like the poison was lifted from her heart.
"The family is looking forward to continued healing," Tammie Riley Jones said.
The rape charge carried a mandatory prison sentence, with the prosecution recommending life in prison without parole. The punishment for the sexual battery case was merged into the rape sentence, but would have carried a possible maximum of eight years. Tammie Riley Jones asked for the five-year maximum on gross sexual imposition to be served consecutive to the life sentence to reflect the heinous nature of the crime. Jailed since Aug. 22, 2022 under a $100,000 bond, the defendant will receive credit for about 235 days already served. He was also designated a Tier III sexual offender, requiring him to register his address in the county where he's residing every 90 days for the rest of his life, if he ever gets out.
Stacey asked for the five-year term to be merged into the life sentence, but made no other comment. When asked if he wanted to make a statement, the defendant said he did, but then was advised by Stacey not to do that, with the judge pointing out that anything he said would be part of the record.
"I'll withhold the statement," Jones said.
Stacey said he'll be filing an appeal.
Jones refused to sign a document to acknowledge that the judge advised him of all the sex offender reporting requirements, with the judge advising him that's fine, but it's all in the record anyway.
"Your defiance has not in any way helped you," she said.
Jones was indicted last year for the five counts against him, all in the time frame beginning Jan. 1, 2014 and ending Dec. 31, 2016. During his testimony, he denied sexually assaulting the girl.
mgreier@mojonews.com