Rape suspect pleads guilty to lesser charge
NEWCOMERSTOWN – A 38-year-old Newcomerstown man accused of raping a person with disabilities pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to three years in prison and a permanent sex offender designation.
Allen Kerns (Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office)
Allen Kerns in May pleaded guilty to sexual battery and gross sexual imposition, both felonies, but not as severe as the two counts of rape that were dismissed.
Tuscarawas County Prosecutor Ryan Styer in March said the charges are for crimes that took place in 2017 but were only recently disclosed by a person who is developmentally disabled.
Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Ernest this week sentenced Kerns to 36 months in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, with credit for 128 days already served.
Ernest also labeled Kerns a Tier III Sex Offender, the most severe designation that requires registration every 90 days for life.