Warren Township man gets prison term for sex crimes against girl

September 19, 2007 at 5:43p.m.

WARREN — A 33-year-old Warren Township man has been sentenced to 10 years to life in prison for committing a variety of sex crimes against a young girl in the city of Warren and Warren Township.

Franklin F. Bumgardner pleaded no contest to four counts of life rape, three counts of gross sexual imposition, and one count of attempted rape.

Judge W. Wyatt McKay found Bumbardner guilty of all the charges and ordered him to serve all the sentences at the same time.

On Monday, Judge McKay ruled against Bumgardner’s motion to suppress a videotaped statement he gave to Warren Township Police after his Aug. 6, 2006, arrest. Bumgardner has been in Trumbull County Jail since the arrest.

Diane Barber, an assistant county prosecutor, said the abuse started with inappropriate touching of a girl in 2003 and various sexual conduct with her until Aug 6. The victim was between the ages of nine and 12 at the time of the crimes, Barber said.