YOUNGSTOWN Man pleads guilty to molesting teen girl
The Struthers man faces a three-year prison sentence.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Larry Sapp stood with his hands in his pants pockets and admitted molesting a teenage girl. Then he slumped into a chair and cried.
It was the end of a long legal battle between Sapp and authorities who say he engaged in improper conduct with a female relative over a four-year period. Sapp has denied the allegations.
The 45-year-old Struthers man pleaded guilty Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to eight counts of gross sexual imposition. If he were sentenced to the maximum for each count, Sapp would get 33 years in prison. He also is eligible for probation.
However, in exchange for the plea of guilty, assistant prosecutor Dawn Krueger recommended a three-year sentence. Judge R. Scott Krichbaum indicated that he will honor the recommendation and set sentencing for 10 a.m. March 19.
In the meantime, a background check on Sapp will be done by the Ohio Adult Parole Authority.
Krueger said the plea resolves the matter and ensures that Sapp will go to prison, even if only for three years.
2002 mistrial
Sapp was tried on the charges in July 2002, but Judge Krichbaum declared a mistrial when jurors were unable to unanimously agree on a verdict. The victim in the case testified during the trial that Sapp had improperly touched her, but admitted on the witness stand that she had recanted the accusation to Sapp's lawyers.
Krueger said the girl's conflicting testimony was a concern had the case gone to trial again.
A second trial was scheduled last week, but was postponed because prosecutors secured a new indictment against Sapp, this time including three counts of rape in addition to the eight gross sexual imposition counts.
Sapp pleaded guilty to the old indictment and Krueger agreed to dismiss the new one.
Defense attorney John B. Juhasz declined to comment until after sentencing.
Sapp, dressed in black pants, a white shirt and gray jacket, stood with his hands behind his back throughout much of the hearing. He choked back sobs as he answered questions from Judge Krichbaum and as he finally said, "Guilty."
When the hearing was over, Sapp walked a few steps to the defense table, sat down and buried his face in his hands. His daughter, who'd sat crying throughout the hearing, came forward and hugged him.
On the other side of the courtroom, the victim and her mother watched stoically. They left without comment immediately afterward.
bjackson@vindy.com