West Portsmouth man charged with gross sexual imposition

Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman has announced the arrest of Larry D. Skaggs, 75, of West Portsmouth, following an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a child.

The investigation began on June 23, when detectives were contacted by Scioto County Children Services regarding a reported sexual assault involving a victim under the age of 13. Detectives initiated a comprehensive investigation, which included interviews with the alleged victim and several witnesses.

Evidence gathered during the investigation helped detectives establish that the assault allegedly took place at a residence in West Portsmouth. As the inquiry expanded, investigators identified additional alleged victims, including allegations involving incidents occurring several years ago in Scioto County, as well as a more recent incident reported in Franklin County.

The Scioto County Sheriff’s Office is currently coordinating with the Ohio State University (OSU) Police Department to investigate these additional allegations.

Larry D. Skaggs was located and detained without incident on June 23. He was charged with one count of gross sexual imposition involving a victim under the age of 13, a felony of the third degree. Skaggs appeared in the Portsmouth Municipal Court and is currently being held on a $25,000 bond.

Sheriff Thoroughman expressed his gratitude to the staff at Southern Ohio Medical Center for their invaluable assistance and partnership during this investigation.

"This is an active, ongoing investigation,” said Sheriff Thoroughman. "We anticipate that additional charges will be presented to the Scioto County grand jury as the case proceeds."

Anyone with further information regarding this investigation is urged to contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.