Judge sends Sugarcreek man, 71, to prison for four years on child sex offenses
NEW PHILADELPHIA — A 71-year-old Sugarcreek man will spend four years in prison for having sexual contact with two girls under age 13.
Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Judge Michael Ernest sentenced Wesley E. Davis on Tuesday for two convictions for gross sexual imposition.
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Davis was found guilty of the charges after pleading no contest on Oct. 20 as part of a negotiated plea agreement. As part of the agreement between the prosecution and defense, a rape charge was dropped. Davis had been charged with raping a child less than 10 years old.
Despite the plea and guilty finding, Davis continued to claim innocence at sentencing.
"I didn't do this," he told Ernest.
He asked the judge to place him on probation so he could continue working with his doctors to determine the cause of his health problems.
The girls' mother and their church pastor spoke on behalf of the victims, who did not attend the sentencing hearing.
The clergyman said one of the girls was motivated by a sense of guilt to enter a baptism class. He said he tried to reassure her she had done nothing wrong.
The mother said her daughters were violated by someone they loved and trusted.
"They did not deserve or ask for any of this," she said. "The damage from this is forever. My daughters will never be the same again. Their past, current lives, their future relationships are all affected by this."
The mother said she asked her daughters if they had anything to say.
"All I could get out of them was 'Why?'" she said. "I just pray for healing for my family."
Assistant county prosecutor Kristine Beard said the victims are "amazing children."
Defense attorney Dan Guinn said his client had a low risk of re-offending. He said a Canton agency recommended Davis attend its treatment program for sex offenders. Davis' background report included driving while under the influence of intoxicants in 1984.
Ernest gave Davis 10 days of local jail credit against his sentence. Davis will spend five years on probation after his release from prison. He will be required to register his address with the local sheriff every 90 days for the rest of his life.
"These were people who were left in your care," Ernest told Davis. "They were not cared for. They were molested by you, the absolute opposite of what their parents thought was going to happen."
The maximum prison sentence for each crime is five years in prison.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Sugarcreek man, 71, going to prison for 4 years on child sex offenses
