UNION COUNTY, Ohio (WSYX) — A former youth softball coach has been sentenced to at least 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to the rape of a 12-year-old girl.
Anthony Davis, who coached in Richwood, entered his plea in a Union County courtroom, admitting to two counts of rape, sexual battery, and unlawful sex with a minor.
The young victim, a player under Davis, and her family were present in the courtroom as Davis was led away. A victim advocate read a statement on behalf of the victim’s mother, expressing the family’s devastation.
“This whole situation is a nightmare I can’t seem to wake up from,” the statement said. “We trusted AJ in the beginning not only as a coach but as a friend. We had him over at our house, and we were over at his. What he has done to our daughter has completely shaken us to the core. Our daughter has undoubtedly been changed forever.”
Union County Prosecuting Attorney David Phillips highlighted the predatory nature of Davis’s actions.
“Child sex offenders look for positions that have access to children, and in this case, he was a girls’ softball coach, which gave him access to a lot of children,” Phillips said. “To get him removed from society is a good thing.”
Davis will be required to register as a Tier III sex offender for life upon his release.
