MARION, Ohio — Judges from the Ohio Third District Court of Appeals unanimously voted to uphold the life sentence of a Marion man imprisoned for the rape of a 7-year-old child.
Thomas Chafin, 62, received his sentence from Judge Matthew P. Frericks on Jan. 13 after being found guilty by a jury in November 2022.
Chafin was accused by the child after an incident in August 2021.
The prosecutor’s office said the child told their mother, a nurse at the Hardin Memorial Hospital and a social worker at the Child Advocacy Center of Nationwide Children’s Hospital details about the incident.
The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner completed a report that was presented to the jury showing abrasions along the child’s thigh, corroborating the child’s statement that Chafin scratched her during the incident.
“Today's decision by the Court of Appeals is a testament to the strength and veracity of the case we presented,” Marion County Prosecutor Grogan stated. “Our community can rest assured knowing that a predator like Chafin will remain behind bars for life, where he can no longer harm the innocent.”
The appellate court's review of the evidence presented at trial confirmed the jury's decision to convict Chafin. According to the prosecutor’s office, the court found no cause for a miscarriage of justice or for a new trial to be ordered.
“In the face of heinous crimes, especially those against vulnerable children, I will continue to protect our community and bring sex offenders to justice,” Grogan said. “This ruling sends a clear message that the Marion County law enforcement will not waver in our duty to uphold the law and ensure that justice prevails...”
