Marysville man sentenced to life in prison for rape and child sexual abuse recording

COLUMBUS, Ohio. On Thursday, a Marysville man was sentenced to life in prison for raping a child under the age of 10.

In November, 42-year-old Jeremy Welch pleaded guilty to rape and illegal use of a minor in nudity. The latest charge is that Welch used a mobile phone to record sexual assault.

According to the Union County Attorney’s Office, the video was discovered by family members and turned over to the Marysville Police Department.

The detective investigating the incident received a search warrant to seize Welch’s phone and computer as evidence. Checking the computer showed several keyword searches for child sexual abuse material and several images.

The state agreed not to press further charges in exchange for his guilty plea on two counts.

Welch told the detective that he “didn’t know what came over him” in the attack. He apologized to the victim, noting that he too had been harassed as a child.

The judge handed down a life sentence with the right to parole after 15 years, a mandatory sentence for the rape charges.

Welch was ordered to serve four more years on charges of unlawful use, and the sentences are to be served consecutively.

He will also be required to register as a child sex offender, with registration every 90 days for the rest of his life after his release from prison.

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