Jonathan Schmenk was sentenced to three years in prison Monday in the Putnam County Common Pleas Court on sex charges.
Charlotte Caldwell | The Lima News
OTTAWA — A Kalida man was sentenced to three years in prison Monday in after pleading guilty in September to four charges.
Jonathan Schmenk, 25, pleaded guilty to gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony; two counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, fifth-degree felonies; and possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony, in Putnam County Common Pleas Court. He will be registered as a tier-II sex offender for 25 years. His prison term is also mandatory, meaning he will not be eligible to apply for judicial release.
According to court records, in 2014, when Schmenk was 15, he had sexual contact with an 11-year-old girl in Leipsic. In June of this year, he also possessed or viewed material showing a minor who was not his child in a state of nudity.
The victim of the 2014 incident spoke at the hearing. She said she was staying at Schmenk’s home when she woke up to Schmenk on top of her with her pants pulled down. She said the adults she told tried to make her believe nothing happened. She developed post-traumatic stress disorder and had trouble sleeping since then.
“I was a sweet, kind 11-year-old girl. What makes me angry is he took advantage of me when I was at my most vulnerable state when I was asleep,” the victim said. “Maybe if he served time then he wouldn’t have continued his sick behavior.”
Schmenk elected not to say anything before sentencing, and Judge Keith Schierloh said, “Maybe that tells the court a lot. That’s not in your favor.”
Reach Charlotte Caldwell at 567-242-0451.
