A 21-year-old man is in custody after a grand jury handed up serious felony charges tied to a years-long pattern of alleged sexual abuse involving multiple underage victims, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced.
Michael Richardson was arrested following his indictment in Jackson County Common Pleas Court. He faces three counts of rape, all first-degree felonies, and two counts of gross sexual imposition, fourth-degree felonies.
According to the indictment, Richardson is accused of sexually assaulting four female victims, all under the age of 18 at the time, over a period spanning 2021 through 2024. Prosecutors allege the victims were compelled to submit to sexual conduct through force or threats of force.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Victims Unit after reports were made to both the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. At the request of the Jackson County prosecuting attorney, BCI took over the case. The Ohio Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Section is handling the prosecution.
Court records show Richardson had previously been charged in 2022 with corrupting a minor, but that case was dismissed and refiled in juvenile court. The current indictment reflects allegations covering a broader timeframe and multiple victims.
Richardson, of Wellston, was taken into custody without incident following the indictment.
