venedocia Man Sentenced to Three Years for Sex Crimes in Van Wert County

Michael Flickinger, a 59-year-old man from Venedocia, Ohio, will spend three years in prison after being sentenced in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court this week for multiple sex crimes involving a minor. The charges included sexual battery, gross sexual imposition, and voyeurism.

Details of the Sentencing

Judge Martin D.Burchfield handed down the sentence, ordering the 36 months for sexual battery (a third-degree felony), 18 months for gross sexual imposition (a fourth-degree felony), and a concurrent sentence for voyeurism (a fifth-degree felony) to run concurrently. Flickinger received credit for seven days already served in the county jail.

Upon release, Flickinger will be classified as a Tier II sex offender, requiring him to register his address every 90 days for the remainder of his life. He is also prohibited from contacting the victim and must cover court costs.

michael Flickinger

The Crimes and Legal proceedings

Court records indicate that the crimes occurred between May 2020 and May 2024 and involved a minor. A Van Wert County grand jury indicted Flickinger in June of the previous year. The initial charges included two counts of rape (first-degree felonies), two counts of sexual battery (third-degree felonies), three counts of gross sexual imposition (fourth-degree felonies), and voyeurism (a fifth-degree felony).

In May, Flickinger entered a no contest plea to three of the charges and was later found guilty by Judge Burchfield.

Did You Know? Ohio’s sex offender registry is publicly accessible, allowing communities to stay informed about registered offenders in their area. You can search the registry on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.

Other Recent Sentencing Hearings

Along with the Flickinger case, van Wert County Common Pleas Court saw two other high-profile sentencing hearings this week:

• April Diltz, 46, of Van Wert, received a 30-month prison sentence for attempted corrupting another with drugs, a third-degree felony.
• Ryan Houser, 39, of Rockford, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for murder, an unclassified felony.

Additional Criminal Hearings

five other criminal hearings took place in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court this week. These included arraignments for:

• John Snavley, 59, of Celina, who pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated possession of drugs.
• Weston Mills, 42, of Van Wert, who pleaded not guilty to aggravated possession of drugs.
• Kody Johnson, 44, of Van Wert, who entered a not guilty plea to grand theft.
• James Aldrich, 56, of Van Wert, who entered a not guilty plea to illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility.

Mikayla Lavy, 29, of Delphos, admitted to violating her probation. Sentencing is scheduled for July 3.

van Wert County Court Activity Summary

Pro Tip: Stay informed about court proceedings in your area by checking your county’s court website for public records and schedules.

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