Civil suit filed by convicted sex offender’s neighbors

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A convicted sex offender living in Van Wert has been named as defendant in a civil lawsuit filed in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

The suit, filed on Wednesday by Toledo attorney Steven L. Crossmock, seeks monetary damages from David Bradford, who lives on Ohio 116 outside the Van Wert city limits. Crossmock represents a neighboring family whose young child was sexually assaulted by Bradford in 2024.

While the matter is public record, the VW independent has chosen not to publish the names of the plaintiffs.

Bradford is the husband of current Van Wert County Auditor Jamie Bradford, who lost her bid for re-election during the May primary election. She is not named in the lawsuit.

While a dollar amount is not listed, the plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages for emotional distress, loss of use and enjoyment and property, punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish Bradford and deter similar conduct in the future, pre-and-post judgement interest, the cost of the lawsuit and attorney’s fees, and any other relief the court deems proper.

“Since the sexual assault and defendant’s criminal conduct, plaintiffs and plaintiffs’ children have been unable to use and enjoy their residential property peacefully and without fear,” the suit states. “Plaintiffs have suffered severe emotional distress, anxiety and fear for safety and well-being of plaintiff’s children…defendant’s conduct was intentional, willful, wanton, malicious and done with reckless disregard for the rights and safety of plaintiffs.”

No hearing dates have been established yet.

In a case heard by Visiting Judge James Brogan on January 30, 2025, Bradford entered a guilty plea to a prosecutor’s bill of information to a single count of attempted gross sexual imposition, a fourth degree felony. He was then sentenced to five years of probation, was ordered to have no alcohol or drugs without a prescription, undergo random screens, have no contact with the victim and no unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 13. In addition, Bradford was ordered to register as a Tier II sex offender, which means he must register his address twice a year for 25 years. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine and court costs.

Judge Brogan was appointed to the case by the Ohio Supreme Court and Defiance attorney Peter R. Seibel was appointed as a special prosecuting attorney by then-Van Wert County Prosecutor Eva Yarger, because Bradford’s wife is the county auditor.

It’s not yet known if a visiting judge will preside over the civil suit.

A bill introduced by State Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) last year would address the situation but it appears to be held up in Columbus. If enacted, Ohio House Bill 102 would close a loophole in Ohio’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) laws, and expand those laws to prevent sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of their victim or loitering within 1,000 feet.

Under current law, sex offenders are prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of any school, preschool, childcare center, children’s crisis care facility, or residential infant care center. However, there is no restriction preventing them from living right next door to their victim.

House Bill 102 was modeled after a law in Oklahoma that passed unanimously and has since been adopted in several other states.

Late last year, the bill easily passed the Ohio House (89-2) and was sent to the Ohio Senate for consideration. However, it appears no action or vote has been taken on it by the Senate.