Court imposes prison, registration terms
VERMILION — A Vermilion man will serve at least six years in prison after pleading guilty in a child sexual abuse material case.
Judge Melissa Kobasher sentenced Matthew Rich on June 22 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court, according to a judgment entry filed in the case.
The court imposed a prison sentence of six to nine years. The sentence means Rich must serve at least six years, with a possible maximum of nine years.
The court also ordered Rich to register as a Tier II sex offender for 25 years. He must verify his registration in person every 180 days.
Rich received 10 days of jail-time credit. The court ordered him into the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
The court also ordered Rich to serve five years of mandatory post-release control after prison.
The judgment entry states Rich appeared in court for sentencing after withdrawing his previously entered not guilty plea and entering guilty pleas to the charges listed in the case.
The case followed a Vermilion Police Department investigation led by Det. Sgt. Dale Reising.
Vermilion Police Chief Scott Holmes said investigators put significant effort into cases like this to make sure they can lead to a plea or conviction.
“While many will want him to have been given a harsher penalty, that is not VPD’s prerogative,” Holmes said. “We make the arrest and the court system does the rest.”