By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Bethany Thompson was given credit for stepping forward and reporting a heinous crime, but the goodwill of the Crawford County Common Pleas Court ended there.
Thirty-two-year-old Thompson, of Bucyrus, pleaded guilty to two second-degree felony counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, six third-degree felony counts of sexual battery, and one second-degree felony of endangering children Monday morning. The combined sentences – two years for each second-degree felony and 18 months on each third-degree felony – will see Thompson serving 15 years in prison, far below the maximum sentence of 54 years.
Though Thompson received leeway in her sentencing, neither assistant county prosecutor Ryan Hoovler nor Judge Sean Leuthold sugarcoated her role in the child pornography case.
“Normally, I don’t say a lot in an agreed-to sentence, but I think some things need to be stated both on the record and to the defendant,” Hoovler said during the proceedings.
Hoovler acknowledged that Thompson did the right thing on June 28 when she reported a “heinous crime” to the police. Thompson told the police that her boyfriend, Justin Millhouse II, had been involved in taking explicit sexual photos and engaging in sexual conduct with a 13-year-old.
“Unfortunately, the defendant Bethany Thompson is sitting here because, previous to that, she did not do the right thing,” Hoovler stated. “She was involved in every one of those photographs – she took the photographs – and she herself involved herself in the touching of the victim in a sexual way. That’s why she’s here. She failed to protect a 13-year-old girl. Instead, she chose to do what her boyfriend wanted to do.”
It was those actions, Hoovler argued, for why he was asking for a 15-year prison sentence, which also took into consideration the fact that she did report the crime.
“Without that who knows what would have happened,” Hoovler said. “It does not at all relinquish her responsibility for what happened before.”
“The court finds it extremely difficult to look at these photographs,” the judge said, appearing tightly controlled as he pulled the photos from a folder and detailed on the record what they showed.
As he moved through each photo, Leuthold’s control seemed to slip a little more and longer pauses were heard between each description along with long disgusted sighs.
“There’s no dispute that my client was an aider (sic) and abettor to Millhouse’s conduct,” said defense attorney Andrew Motter. “The fact is that my client basically has from the very beginning when asked questions has answered those questions of law enforcement honestly and truthfully.”
Motter added that Thompson cooperated with the investigation and ensured that the issue was brought to light.
“She did everything she could to mitigate the fact that she may have done something that was abhorrent to the court as well as the public,” Motter said. “I basically attribute some of this to the manipulations of Mr. Millhouse; however, that’s not a defense.”
As for Thompson, her biggest show of emotion came when she made her statement.
“I’m just happy I got her away from that situation,” Thompson said as her voice wavered.
Leuthold received permission from Motter to question his client and asked her about the emotional state of the victim in the case. During further questioning, Thompson said the abuse had been going on before she became involved in the crime herself.
“How long did this go on – you taking the photographs and being involved in victimizing this girl – until you moved out? How long did it go on? How many months?” Leuthold asked relentlessly.
“Ever since I found out, I moved out. Four months since all this came about,” Thompson said. “There was a lot going on . . . we weren’t going anywhere, we were being watched . . . We had to make sure he was even being arrested before I left the house.”
Under questioning from Motter, Thompson said she only had personal involvement in the abuse one time.
“I’ve heard enough,” a disgusted Leuthold said. “What I find in front of me today is so disturbing, so revolting it’s almost beyond comprehension. You have two adults who worked together to victimize an adolescent victim, to exploit an adolescent victim, to terrorize an adolescent victim. From this defendant I’ve heard zero remorse. All I’ve heard is excuses. An absolute refusal to take responsibility for her actions.”
Leuthold added that the only reason he would go along with the recommended sentence was the mitigating factor that Thompson was the one to alert authorities to the abuse.
“I don’t know what you’re going to do with the rest of your life, but you have a lot to make up for,” Leuthold told Thompson. “This poor child. Home was supposed to be a haven, a place of protection, support, especially for a young girl . . . Home – where it was supposed to be safe – instead was basically a house of horrors, which is hard for me to comprehend.”
Thompson must register as a Tier III sexual offender every 90 days for the rest of her life. She will also serve a mandatory five years on post-release control after her release from prison.
“Hopefully this sentence sends a clear message to anyone involved in this type of thing,” County Prosecutor Matthew Crall said after the hearing. “In these type of cases you feel like you can’t get enough punishment, that the penalties will be severe for anyone who does this to a child in this county.”
Though Thompson originally reported the crime, investigators may not have immediately identified who took the pictures if not for Thompson once again appearing before police. Millhouse made allegations during his Municipal Court hearing in July that Thompson should also be investigated for the crimes. Crall confirmed they knew a woman took the pictures when a finger with a ring appeared in some of the images.
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