MOUNT GILEAD — After three and a half days of trial and seven hours of deliberations, a Morrow County jury returned a guilty verdict against Jeffrey W. Lawson.
The jury found the Cardington man guilty of one count of attempted rape, one count of gross sexual imposition, one count of sexual battery and eight counts of rape, a news release from Prosecuting Attorney Charles S. Howland states.
Morrow County Sheriff’s detectives Jim Ginn, Chris Smith, Marisa Gibson and deputy Corey Ellis took part in the investigation.
The state’s case was presented by Assistant Prosecutor David Homer and Howland. Attorney Earl K. Desmond represented Lawson.
Howard E. Hall, retired common pleas judge, presided over the case as assigned by the Ohio Supreme Court.
The defendant was taken into custody by the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office to await sentencing. A date for sentencing has not been assigned.
Lawson faces a possible sentence of more than 100 years.
