Former foster father sentenced for rapes
All 10 prison terms will run concurrently.
YOUNGSTOWN — A former foster parent convicted of having sexual conduct with several children may be spending the rest of his life behind bars.
Clarence D. Davis, 67, of Middletown Road, Beloit, was sentenced to three concurrent 10-year-to-life prison terms, and seven five-year prison terms to run concurrently with the three 10-year sentences. He was sentenced Monday by Judge Maureen Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas court.
Davis will be given credit for the 86 days he has spent in the county jail.
Davis will be eligible for parole in 2019. If he is released from prison at any time in the future, he will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Davis was indicted in August on three counts of rape and seven counts of felony gross sexual imposition. He pleaded guilty to all counts in the indictment earlier this month.
According to the indictment, Davis sexually abused three children under the age of 13 while those children were living in his home. The complaint says the abuse of one 10-year-old began in 2001, and abuse of the other two children, who were 10 years old and 11 years old at the time, took place in 2008 and 2009.
Natasha Frenchko, an assistant county prosecutor, said Davis served as a foster parent in Mahoning County for years before the abuse of the children had been discovered. She said the crimes demonstrate the ultimate abuse of trust.
“He was put into a position of trust, a position of authority, and he abused that. It is very disturbing to hear about cases like this,” she said. “He did plead guilty, so at least we would not have to put any of those victims on the [witness] stand.”
Frenchko said authorities learned of the possibility of abuse in the Davis home and spoke to Davis about the abuse, at which time he made comments to police incriminating himself. She recommended to the court that Davis be given the 10-year-to-life prison terms.
Several of those victimized by Davis were present in court for the sentencing but chose not to offer a statement to the court beforehand. Davis, wearing the county-issued orange jumpsuit, also refused to offer a comment to the court.
Atty. Jeff Jakmides, representing Davis, told the court that Davis is 67 years old with no prior criminal record, did cooperate with authorities in the investigation leading to his arrest and turned himself in to police upon learning of a warrant for his arrest.
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