Christopher Shaffer, a former Columbus firefighter, has been sentenced to three years in prison following his guilty plea on charges of sexual battery and gross sexual imposition. As reported by NBC4i, these third-degree felonies were addressed in the Fairfield County Common Pleas Court, where Judge David Trimmer delivered the verdict. Along with the prison sentence, Shaffer is required to register as a Tier I sex offender for 15 years post-release.
NBC4i also mentioned that the 38-year-old Pickerington resident, Shaffer, was initially arrested and charged with rape on July 21, a first-degree felony. However, this charge was later amended to the offenses above as part of a plea deal. Following his arrest, Shaffer, who was on administrative duty with the Columbus Division of Fire, submitted his resignation on September 19.
Details from the court documents, as presented by The Dispatch, indicate that Shaffer used "drug or intoxicant" to impair the judgment of the victim during the incident. These documents, however, do not disclose the age of the person involved or their relationship to Shaffer. The initial charge of rape was dismissed in light of Shaffer's guilty plea.
During the sentencing, the emotional impact of Shaffer's actions was voiced through a victim's advocate's statement. "Ever since that day I have hurt in a way I didn't know possible. What he did was demoralizing," read the advocate, according to an account provided by WBNS. Shaffer, too, expressed his remorse in court, saying, "I made the worst mistake of my life." Judge Trimmer noted Shaffer's fall from grace, emphasizing the damaging impact on the reputations of the firefighters and the National Guard due to his actions.
Though Shaffer could face up to six years in prison, he will be eligible for early release after 18 months, contingent on good behavior, as per a statement obtained by The Dispatch. The recommendation for Shaffer's sentence was a joint decision between Fairfield County prosecutors and his defense attorney.