Serial park rapist sentenced

Staff report

RAVENNA

The serial rapist connected with multiple park assaults pleaded guilty and was sentenced Friday in Portage County Common Pleas Court.

Shawn Wendling, 38, of Hillsville, Pa., pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping and one count of felonious assault. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Now that Wendling’s Portage County case has been resolved, assistant county Prosecutor Mike Yacovone said he’ll return to Mahoning County to face his six indicted charges, including first-degree felony counts of rape, kidnapping and aggravated robbery and a count of felonious assault.

The investigation began after two women reported sexual assaults on Berlin Lake Trail on June 14 and Aug. 13. Both victims reported a male suspect pushed them down an embankment and took their belongings after sexually assaulting them.

DNA testing linked these two incidents to a report of a woman in Poland Township Park who was raped and robbed while jogging Sept. 4.

Wendling was arrested Sept. 7 in Poland after being identified using DNA testing.