Three Hillsboro men charged with sexually abusing children under the age of 13 years old were indicted on Tuesday and are part of the eight indictments released following the March session of a Highland County grand jury.
As previously reported by The Times-Gazette, Vernon Ellison Jr., 44, was arrested in December and charged with first-degree felony rape, a charge stemming from allegations of years-long sexual abuse reported to the Highland County Sheriff’s Office in early December.
Tuesday’s grand jury levied more charges, including another count of first-degree felony rape and 15 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.
According to an affidavit filed with the Hillsboro Municipal Court in December, the alleged victim told a detective at the sheriff’s office that sexual abuse began when the victim was a young child and that the abuse continued for years.
Ellison was arrested in December following a recorded meeting between himself and the victim wherein Ellison did not deny the sexual abuse claims the victim confronted him with, but was apologetic and offered excuses, according to the affidavit.
In a separate case, Jerry T. Jones Jr., 48, was indicted on similar charges.
He is charged with two counts of first-degree felony rape, one count of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition, and 15 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.
According to an affidavit filed in February, an investigation was conducted following claims made last October by the alleged victim. Items seized from Jones’ home were submitted to BCI for analysis. The affidavit states that a video of a sexual encounter between the juvenile victim and Jones was “extracted.”
David Forbes, 33, is also charged with the first-degree felony offense of the rape of a juvenile, as well as a count of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition.
An affidavit filed in February states that the alleged victim’s mother brought the matter to the sheriff’s office in December after the child had told her what had happened months earlier.
Forbes was questioned on the matter, the document states, and denied the allegations, but when BCI found semen on a blanket belonging to the victim and requested a DNA sample, the sheriff’s office was unable to locate Forbes to obtain a DNA sample. The affidavit says that law enforcement was informed by someone at Forbes’ last known address that he had “took off and ran” after he had been questioned in December.
According to the jail website, Forbes was arrested in early February.
All three of the men are currently in the Highland County Jail.
Other individuals indicted on Tuesday are:
• Nicholas S. Babbs, 34, South Salem, charged with third-degree felony illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs;
• Jason A. Clary, 41, Chillicothe, charged with third-degree felony illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs;
• Derrick W. Carlisle, 21, Sardinia, charged with fourth-degree felony domestic violence;
• Jason T. Jenkins, 44, Greenfield, charged with fourth-degree felony possession of heroin;
• Joshua Lee Howard, 34, Hillsboro, charged with fifth-degree felony heroin possession.
Reach Angela Shepherd at 937-393-3456, ext. 1681, or on Twitter @wordyshepherd.
