LIMA — A judge ruled Monday alleged previous sexual acts involving teenage boys can be allowed into evidence in the trial against a high school referee who also served in a mentoring program at Lima City Schools.
David Turner sought to have the evidence excluded against him but Judge Jeffrey Reed of Allen County Common Pleas Court said alleged conduct in his past can be used. The proposed evidence involved Turner’s alleged prior sexual activity with other young black teenagers, according to court records.
The prosecution fought to have the evidence admitted to show a pattern of conduct by Turner to target black teenage boys for sexual encounters. Turner was a volunteer with the Lima schools’ Closing the Achievement Gap Program.
The 57-year-old Turner is charged with two counts of abduction, each a third-degree felony, and two counts of gross sexual imposition, each a fourth-degree felony. He is scheduled to stand trial July 12.
The charges accuse Turner of forcefully touching another person and restraining that person’s freedom. Prosecutors said the crime happened Jan. 29 at a home of a person Turner knew. It was not connected to Turner’s position as a volunteer with CTAG, a prosecutor said.
The state presented testimony during a hearing Monday that at least two adults, who as teenagers, had similar sexual encounters with Turner.
“The state says it wants to present this evidence to demonstrate the motive, preparation and plan of the defendant to target teenage black males who had no father figure and to gain their trust and confidence for the purpose of grooming them for sexual activity with the intent to be sexually gratified,” Reed wrote in his ruling.
The judge further wrote the testimony, if believed by the jury, could corroborate testimony from the victim in the current case. The evidence cannot, however, be used to prove Turner’s character, the judge ruled.
The CTAG program is a state initiative to raise high school graduation rates among black males. Mentors work with students one on one throughout the school year. Lima schools Superintendent Jill Ackerman said Turner was not a volunteer last school year.
Turner also was a deputy warden at Allen Correctional Institution 20 years ago. He was fired after prison authorities learned he reported on job applications having obtained an educational level he had not.
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