Two Guilty Verdicts Reached
in Rapes Cases in Neighboring Counties
(MANSFIELD, Ohio) — Two rape cases prosecuted by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Special Prosecutions Section have resulted in guilty verdicts this week.
Kevin Cross, 66, of Richland County, was found guilty this week on six counts of rape, each a first-degree felony. Cross molested an underage boy between 1990 and 1994 in a church sound booth. The victim recently disclosed the crimes to law enforcement, which prompted an investigation by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
“A young, scared boy grew up to become a courageous man, confronted his abuser and found justice,” Yost said. “I’m grateful for the work of our investigators and prosecutors who fought for this victim and helped him become a survivor.”
Cross was sentenced this afternoon to 80 years to life.
Also, this week in neighboring Crawford County, a Common Pleas Court jury found Jason Tupps, 47, guilty of one count of rape. The crime was reported to the Crestline Police Department.
Tupps will be sentenced at noon on Oct. 31. He faces a minimum prison sentence of 3 to 4½ years and a maximum of 11 to 16½ years. As a Tier III sex offender, he will be required to register his home address, work address and vehicle information with the county sheriff and verify that information every 90 days for the rest of his life.
The attorney general’s Special Prosecution Section seeks to offer prosecutors statewide the resources necessary to consistently excel in their work. Seasoned prosecutors from the section are appointed to cases on behalf of the local prosecutor when a conflict or need for specialized expertise arises.