Details too disturbing: Man to be sentenced in child sex abuse case; faces life in prison

A 39-year-old Marion man faces a potential sentence of life in prison after being convicted of raping a child.

John L. Sands III was convicted last week on the first degree felony charge, which he admitted to in Marion County Common Pleas Court.

Prosecutor Ray Grogan said the abuse occurred between May 1 and July 19 of last year and involved a 12-year-old victim. The crime came to light in October after the victim disclosed the events to their mother, who immediately contacted the authorities.

“The details of this rapist’s actions are too disturbing to list here, but we can say he exploited and manipulated his young victim in a premeditated and reprehensible manner," Grogan said in a press release. He added he is holding back some information from public release to avoid identifying the child who was raped.

Laced child's food with marijuana, meth

Investigations revealed Sands had plied the child victim with marijuana and methamphetamine, which he added to the victim’s food. Additionally, he attempted to groom the victim with gifts, including shoes, clothing, a TV and a PlayStation 4, as part of his strategy to win the victim's trust and conceal his abusive actions.

The relationship between Sands and the victim’s family appears to have been long-standing, as Sands claimed to have been friends with the victim’s mother for many years, even before the victim was born.

“The successful prosecution of this case reflects our deep commitment to protecting our community's children from predators,” Grogan said in the release. “We are determined to pursue justice for all victims and ensure that offenders face the full weight of the law.”

He thanked assistant prosecuting attorneys, Justin Frey and John Scott Jr., who took the lead in the case, as well as Marion County Sheriff Matt Bayles, whose investigators prepared the case for court.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion man faces life in prison for raping, drugging 12-year-old