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BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—In a Thursday hearing at the Crawford County Common Pleas Court, David Shepherd, who is currently held on a five-million-dollar bond, appeared with his court-appointed attorney Tom Nicholson.

The hearing centered around Nicholson’s argument to suppress evidence obtained from a search warrant and statements made to the police.

Shepherd has been indicted on nine counts of rape involving two young victims, ages eight and nine. The allegations against Shepherd include the systematic rape of the children, with the abuse, including acts of oral sex, believed to have started in December 2022 while living with their maternal grandmother in Mansfield.

The abuse reportedly escalated when they moved to Bucyrus, and Shepherd was alone with the children. It is noted that Shepherd is currently unemployed.

The case took a significant turn when the children’s mother, who is incarcerated, informed the Bucyrus Police Department about Shepherd’s admission of sexually abusing the children through text messages.

A recorded call from the mother to Shepherd at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville confirmed the confession.

Prosecutors have subpoenaed these calls from the prison as part of the evidence.

During the suppression hearing, the focus was on the search warrant, probable cause, and the reading of rights to the defendant before speaking with detectives.

Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler called Bucyrus Police Captain Tom Walker to testify about the search warrant process and execution. Walker detailed the contents of the search warrant, which included gathering bed sheets for DNA evidence, sexually oriented equipment, computer hardware, and any remaining evidence of the crimes.

Despite challenges to the evidence gathering process, Judge Sean Leuthold ruled that there was substantial probable cause in the case. He emphasized the recorded calls between Shepherd and the children’s mother and his admissions as crucial evidence.

In an unexpected development, Shepherd expressed a desire for a new attorney, leading to potential delays in the trial proceedings. The prosecution has made offers for Shepherd to plead guilty to three counts of rape with each carrying 15 years to life in prison for a total of 45 years to life in prison, but no agreement has been reached yet.

As the case unfolds, Crawford County Now will continue to provide updates on this developing story.