Headlines 2 May 2023

Ashtabula man sentenced to life in prison for raping children

By
Ohio Attorney General's Office, Press Release

Stewart Stacy of Ashtabula County has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole for raping multiple children, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced recently.

“The forceful violation of children is unthinkable, heinous evil that deserves the harshest punishment possible,” Yost said. “I’m grateful for the jury’s discernment and for Senior Assistant Attorney General Kara Keating, who secured this life sentence. This defendant will rape no children in prison. Punishment is important, but keeping this man away from children and the rest of society is even more important.”

Stacy, 55, was sentenced last month in Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court. Found to be a sexually violent predator, he will not have the opportunity for parole.

A jury found Stacy guilty of two counts of child rape with force, each a first-degree felony. The victims were under 10 years of age when the crime was committed. Stacy was also found guilty of four counts of gross sexual imposition, each a third-degree felony.

Two co-defendants were previously sentenced to prison in the case. Cherise Griffith was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years in 2020, and Dannail Obhof was sentenced to 25 years in prison the same year.

The cases were investigated by the Ashtabula Police Department and the Conneaut Police Department. The Special Prosecutions Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office prosecuted each case.

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