Life imprisonment for man who raped a child

JACKSON, Ohio (WSAZ) – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Jackson County Prosecutor Randy Dupree announced that a man has been sentenced to life in prison for raping a child.

Eric Dearth, 56, was found guilty of three counts of rape following a week-long jury trial that concluded in September. Dearth’s victim was under the age of 13.

“Monsters are behind bars where there are no kids to hunt,” Yost said. “This man will soon be erased from society’s memory and nothing will remain but the nightmare of his evil deeds.”

Dearth will be eligible for parole in 30 years. Once released, he will be required to register as a Tier III sex offender for the rest of his life.

“This sentence should send a message to people who choose to prey on children: The State of Ohio will do everything in its power to hold you accountable for your heinous actions,” Dupree said. “I am grateful to the Jackson Police Department for its work in investigating these crimes and hope that this sentence brings closure to the victim.”

The case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department and prosecuted by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office with assistance from the Attorney General’s Special Prosecution Unit.

The AG’s Special Prosecutions Division provides resources to prosecutors statewide, including providing special prosecutors to assist with complex criminal proceedings such as child sexual abuse cases.

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