Sexual Abuse

Gov. Mike DeWine signed a law to require Ohio prosecutors report medical professionals convicted of sexual abuse to the state medical board, but said he's concerned about another bill on “medical free speech”.

Brandon Novak pleaded guilty in April to 15 charges, including use of a minor in nudity-oriented material and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. He was sentenced Thursday.

We're taking a look at how states and schools are addressing the issue of sexual misconduct, which is more widespread than previously known.

Lee Allen Goudy, 30, of Howard, Ohio, admitted to distributing and possessing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of Ohio.

Benjamin Rutan pleaded guilty in January to two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, which is a third-degree felony.

The Indiana Supreme Court's disciplinary commission found Todd Rokita, a Republican who opposes abortion, "engaged in attorney misconduct” during an interview he gave on a Fox News show in July 2022.

Robert Pea pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution for paying for sex with a teen girl he met online in 2021. He was a teacher at Northland High School at the time.

The bill now heads back to the Ohio House of Representatives, which unanimously passed the measure earlier this year.

Experts said the incident showed that training for officers on how to respond to child exploitation cases is spotty and not standardized between police departments.

The State Medical Board of Ohio is facing tough questions after a Columbus Dispatch investigation found that hundreds of doctors who sexually abused their patients over the years kept their licenses, or faced little to no penalties. We discuss how to hold the abusers accountable and protect patients.