Ohio Guardsman pleads not guilty in child-sex case

Associated Press

MARYSVILLE, Ohio

An Ohio National Guardsman entered a not guilty plea Thursday to updated charges in a case alleging he sexually abused three adopted daughters and his stepdaughter and abruptly sent a fourth adopted daughter out of state. He also is accused of threatening the children in the family with a similar fate to keep them from talking about what they knew.

The 41-year-old Marysville man, who told a military publication years ago that he wanted to adopt a girl from Africa to protect her from rape, was originally charged last year. Thursday’s written not guilty plea led to the cancellation of a hearing Friday in Union County court on an updated indictment with 35 counts, including rape, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition, intimidation and tampering with evidence.

Court documents indicate the girls were under 13 at the time, with one as young as 5.

The defendant and his wife, who is accused of intimidation and obstruction but not abuse, entered not guilty pleas to the initial charges against them. The Associated Press isn’t naming them to protect the children’s identities.