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Guilty plea in rape delivers life sentence
After prison, the defendant must register quarterly as a sex offender for life.
YOUNGSTOWN — A 25-year-old Buckeye Circle man has pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one count of kidnapping in an April 19 attack on a 7-year-old girl and sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 10 years.
Shawn Thomas entered his plea Tuesday before Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
As recommended by the prosecutor, the judge immediately sentenced Thomas to life in prison on each of the two rape counts and 10 years in prison for the kidnapping, with all sentences to be served concurrently.
Thomas was initially indicted by the county grand jury on nine counts of rape, each carrying a potential life prison sentence, and one count of kidnapping, which carried a 10-year maximum sentence. In the plea agreement, the prosecution dropped seven counts of rape.
Dawn Cantalamessa, assistant county prosecutor, said she made the plea agreement to spare the young victim the ordeal of testifying in a trial.
Thomas approached the girl as she walked to a friend’s house in his neighborhood, gave her $1, and undressed and raped her in nearby woods before taking her to a church parking lot, where she was found by a friend of her family, police reports said.
Several hours later, police dogs tracked Thomas to a house in the 1600 block of Medford Avenue, where he was arrested.
The victim’s mother said her daughter has difficulty sleeping and is “afraid to be by herself.”
Since the attack, the victim’s mother said she is reluctant to allow her children outside to play and has put the family home up for sale “just to get away from it all.”
Thomas’ lawyer, Douglas Taylor, said his client is remorseful, has no prior criminal record and has a drug abuse problem, which his client said was “a major factor in what occurred here.”
Thomas apologized to the victim and her family. “I wish it had never occurred. If I could take it back, I’d take it back. I was under the influence. It’s horrible. All I can say is, if I was in the right state of mind, it would never have happened,” Thomas said.
Thomas will be on parole for five years after he leaves prison, and, as a sex offender against a child, he must register his whereabouts quarterly with the sheriff for life after his release.
milliken@vindy.com