Sex offender gets 12-year prison term

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A man convicted of several sex-related charges was sentenced to 12 years in prison during hearings held Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Christopher Gile, 36, of Scott, was sentenced to 48 months each on charges of gross sexual imposition, and two counts of sexual battery, all felonies of the third degree, and 15 months on a charge of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a felony of the fourth degree. The gross sexual imposition and sexual battery charges are to run consecutive to each other, while the unlawful sexual conduct with a minor sentence will run concurrently to those, for a total of 144 months in prison.

Judge Martin D. Burchfield gave Gile credit for 116 days already served while awaiting sentencing, while also designating the defendant as a Tier 3 sex offender, which requires him to register every 90 days for the rest of his life.

Also sentenced was Ian Taylor, 23, of Van Wert, who was given 24 months in prison on a charge of escape, a felony of the third degree, and 12 months for aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony. The sentences are to run consecutive to each other, meaning a total of 36 months in prison, while Judge Burchfield ordered that he be credited with 140 days already served while awaiting sentencing.

Two others appeared for probation violations hearings.

Alec Thomas, 33, of Convoy, admitted violating his probation by testing positive for illegal drugs. Thomas was sentenced to three years of community control under the same conditions as his prior sentence, plus he must spend up to six months in the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima, and must undergo a drug court assessment.

Jacob Thomas, 25, of Ohio City, admitted violating his probation by failing to report to the probation office and by not completing treatment.

He was sentenced to five years of community control under the same conditions as before, plus up to six months in the WORTH Center and a drug court assessment.