Miami County man, 62, sentenced to 8 years in prison in child sex case

UNION TWP., Miami County — A Miami County man convicted of gross sexual imposition involving a child under age 10 has been sentenced to prison for 8 years by a judge who called the defendant’s actions “shameful.”

David E. Yates, 62, was indicted this year by a county grand jury on single felony counts of rape and gross sexual imposition. The Laura resident was accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a person under age 10 between Aug. 1, 2012, and April 12, 2014.

The rape charge was amended this summer to gross sexual imposition. Yates pleaded guilty in county Common Pleas Court to that charge and the second gross sexual imposition charge. He has been in the county jail since his arrest April 15.

Monday, at sentencing, Yates told the court he had an alcohol problem and apologized for his offenses.

Paul Watkins, an assistant county prosecutor, called the offenses “unthinkable.” He asked Judge Jeannine Pratt to order an eight-year sentence recommended as part of a plea deal with Yates.

Pratt found Yates had a history of alcohol abuse and said he showed no genuine remorse.

“Alcohol had nothing to do with this. Your conduct was planned, purposeful and egregious,” she said. “Words cannot express the court’s disgust for what you did.”

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