HARRISON TWP. — A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to prison in a Harrison Twp. child abuse case where he admitted to trying to choke a 4-year-old girl.
Richard King was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison in addition to parole sanctions, according to a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of child abuse involving a 4-year-old girl on April 4.
Detectives with the sheriff’s Special Investigations unit worked the case, along with Dayton Children’s Medical Center Care House interviewers and presented felony counts of strangulation to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, the spokesperson said.
King had active parole warrants related to felony domestic violence and abduction convictions at the time of the offense, according to the investigation.
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On May 12, King was indicted on multiple charges related to the incident involving the girl.
The charges included single counts of strangulation with substantial risk of serious harm, a 3rd-degree felony; strangulation with physical harm, a 5th-degree; and assault.
Adult parole, the sheriff’s special investigators and R.A.N.G.E. Task Force members searched for King on his active warrants, which led to his arrest on May 24.
On Aug. 15, King pleaded guilty to strangulation with substantial risk of serious harm.
“Today’s sentencing of Richard King is deeply meaningful for our department and community, especially as this assault happened on the very day Ohio’s strangulation law came into effect,” Sheriff Rob Streck said in a prepared statement.
“It reinforces our commitment to ensuring the well-being of our community — especially those who are most vulnerable,” he said.