Sex offender gets 90 days
By Bob Robinson

GREENVILLE – Darke County Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Quigley wanted nine months prison for each of two offenses, Felony 5 Attempted Gross Sexual Imposition, served consecutively, for the offender, Paul Jessup. Darke County Judge Jonathan Hein said he understood that, but added he had to follow rules of evidence.

“The warden, the governor, the legislature don’t expect us to send first offenders to prison. I’m doing what is expected of me… I’m ordering 90 days in jail with five days credit for time served,” he said. “Upon release you will be under intensive supervision, the highest level possible, for 60 months. You will have 75 hours of community service, pay court costs of about $20 a month and be allowed no unsupervised contact with children under 18.”

Noting Jessup also had to participate in a sex offender risk reduction program, Hein added violation of any terms of his probation would result in 10 months in prison for each charge, to be served concurrently. He told Jessup as a Tier 1 sex offender he will have to register with the sheriff of the county in which he resides for 15 years.

Quigley said the factors weighed in favor of prison because Jessup was in a position of trust. She noted the victims were family members and he had a relationship with the children allowing this to happen. She also added Jessup had a prior criminal history.

Jessup’s attorney, Kevin L. Lennen of Dayton, said factors did not warrant prison; that community sanctions would be more beneficial than incarceration.

Jessup apologized, noting it was more an inadvertent mistake.

The mother of the children, in tears, told the court it was devastating. “I never thought he could be capable of this. The children will have to live their whole lives knowing the person they trusted could do this to them. If they hadn’t had the strength and courage to say something it would still be going on today.”

Hein said the offense was more serious because of the offender’s relationship with the children, adding he saw no “less serious” factors. Noting a 1999 conviction for child endangering, he said recidivism was likely.

Speaking directly to Jessup, Hein said “I reject your version… inadvertence doesn’t wash with me. I appreciate the apology but as long as you have the impression this isn’t your responsibility you are likely to reoffend. Get over trying to sound like the victim. That’s as offensive to me as it is to the parents of the children.”

Hein commended the mom for planning to get help for the children, adding at some point they would have to say “it happened but now we need to get beyond it and move forward… this, however, is not the time.”

Jessup was originally charged with four counts of Felony 1 Rape and six counts of Felony 3 Gross Sexual Imposition. After Jessup pleaded guilty to the lesser charges on Jan. 24, Quigley told the Early Bird “This is just the best resolution (we have) for this case.”

Published courtesy of The Early Bird