18-year-old claims he was sexually abused for years in case before Richland County Court

An 18-year-old man testified Tuesday that a much older man sexually abused him for several years.

The witness said the man used the term "bunsies" for his butt and desire to have sex.

Defendant Sean Mullins, 49, is charged with two counts of rape and two counts of sexual battery.

The state's main witness spent 90 minutes on direct examination before Richland County Common Pleas Court Judge Brent Robinson .

He said he remembers the man hugging him when he was 7, 8 or 9 and touching his butt.

"I could feel him grabbing it," the now-18-year-old said.

The witness said the behavior progressed to having to take off his clothes and eventually anal sex. He said Mullins often supplied him with alcohol ahead of time.

He added Mullins warned him not to tell anyone, that they would both "get in trouble."

On cross-examination, defense attorney Jon Rion, of Dayton, asked the witness about discrepancies between his testimony and his sworn deposition, which he gave in September as an adult.

Assistant Prosecutor Olivia Boyer showed the jury a number of text messages between Mullins and the witness. Mullins would refer to the witness as "baby boy" and called him "gorgeous" in another text.

"I always hated it," the witness said.

State plays videos showing Mullins and witness, shirtless and drunk

Boyer then played several Snapchat videos of Mullins and the witness when he was younger. Both were shirtless in the videos and often drunk.

For the counts related to the criminal case, Boyer went back to the weekend of Dec. 6-8, 2019, when the witness was in eighth grade.

The witness said he and Mullins stayed at a Mansfield hotel for two nights. The first night, he said they drank alcohol, went to the pool and watched TV on the single bed.

The witness said Mullins tried to pull his pants down, but he said he was "too tired."

The next day, before the witness' band concert, he said he was in the bathroom getting ready when Mullins joined him, wanting to have sex. He testified Mullins touched his genitals.

After the band concert, the two played disc golf, went out to eat and stopped for alcohol before returning to the hotel. The witness said Mullins tried to untie his swim trunks, but the witness stopped him. He said Mullins had sex with him later in the hotel room.

The witness said he never disclosed anything about what happened until getting into a fight with his mother in October 2021. After the dispute, he said his mother confiscated his phone and saw the text messages.

She called police, but the witness said Mullins only touched him. He also didn't give a sexual assault nurse examiner any details.

In April 2022, the witness said he finally opened up to his mother.

"She was freaking out. She was crying," he told the jury.

Boyer asked him what his life was like several years ago.

"It was horrible," he said. "It was like hell."

He said he has had no contact with Mullins since October 2021. The witness graduated from high school this year and has a full-time job.

He told Boyer he felt "great" on the witness stand.

"I'm finally able to explain my story," the witness said.

Defense attorney points to discrepancies between testimony, deposition

On cross-examination, Rion tried to establish a timeline of events. The witness said the sexual abuse started when he was 7, 8 or 9 and continued until he was about 15.

He claimed the man plied him with alcohol and had sex with him "every night" he stayed with him for some time.

The defense attorney asked the 18-year-old why he didn't say he performed oral sex on Mullins in his deposition or statements to police. He said he had told his mother.

Rion also asked why the witness didn't testify about Mullins hitting him in the head with a bottle.

"I can't remember," the witness said.

Rion also asked about the part of the deposition in which the witness claimed that Mullins pointed a gun at him and told him to take off his clothes.

On redirect examination with Boyer, the witness said he didn't keep a record of the incidents because he didn't know he would wind up in court.

"It's happened multiple times," the witness said.

"Do you have any doubt about what happened to you?" Boyer asked him.

"No," the witness replied.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

X: @MarkCau32059251

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: 18-year-old claims he was sexually abused for years in case before Richland County Court