Judge gives Vinton County resident six life in prison sentences

MCARTHUR — A Vinton County resident has been sentenced to six life in prison sentences after being convicted by a jury of 18 counts related to the rape of two children under the age of 10.

On July 3, retired Judge D. Dean Evans, by assignment from the Ohio Supreme Court, issued a sentencing entry from an earlier sentencing hearing on the 18-count conviction from the jury trial of David Longworth.

Evans sentenced Longworth to six life in prison sentences on the six rape counts of a child under the age of 10. Two of the life sentences were ordered to be served consecutively based on two victims. The remaining life sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. Evans sentenced Longworth to five-year sentences on the five Gross Sexual Imposition (GSI) counts. Two of those counts were ordered to be served consecutively to each other and consecutively to the life sentences. The remaining GSI counts were ordered to be served concurrently with each other and concurrently with the other counts. The remaining counts were ordered to be served concurrently with all the other counts. The total sentence imposed by theCourt was two consecutive life in prison sentences plus 10 years. The judge ordered Longworth to register asa Tier III and a Tier II sex offender.

On Feb. 29, 2024, in the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas, a jury returned guilty verdicts on an 18-count child sex abuse indictment against Defendant David Longworth. Vinton County Prosecuting Attorney William L. Archer Jr. presented the case with Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Graham. Evans presided over the three and a half day trial. The jury, consisting of eight men and four women, deliberated on the 18-count indictment for less than two hours. The jury returned guilty verdicts on six counts of rape of a child under the age of 10, felonies of the first degree; six counts of Gross Sexual Imposition of a child under the age of 10, felonies of the third degree; three counts of Possessing Criminal Tools for the use of a sex toy on a child, felonies of the fifth degree; two counts of Endangering Children, felonies of the third degree; and one count of Aggravated Possession of Methamphetamine, felonies of the fifth degree.

“These young victims have patiently awaited justice that they rightly received today with the issuance of this sentence, and hopefully will allow them to continue to a healing journey," Archer said. "The sentence reflects the severity of the crimes which they endured for several years at the hands of a man that should have protected them, not victimized them in such a horrific manner. I am very proud of these young ladies; they were extremely brave to be able to testify in the way they did and share with the jury the horrors that they suffered. It was through their powerful testimony that the conviction and sentence was able to be obtained.”