MANSFIELD, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—In a strong decision meant to send a message, Richland County Common Pleas Court Judge Brent Robinson sentenced Bryce Witchey to 19½ years in prison on Monday deeming him a danger to children.
This sentence was significantly above the recommended 12 years suggested by both the prosecution and defense.
Witchey, who pleaded guilty on July 31 to 31 counts, faced serious charges including 30 counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material, and one count of attempted importuning connected to an attempt to engage in sexual activity with an eight-year-old girl.
The judge’s ruling diverged from the joint recommendation of a 12-year sentence, reflecting his concerns for public safety.
Witchey’s legal troubles began on June 14, 2024, when Mansfield police arrested him following a mother’s report of inappropriate communications via social media, in which he allegedly sought to make sexual advances toward her daughter. The case initially began with an attempted importuning charge, a fourth-degree felony.