A member of the Ohio National Guard has been convicted on multiple charges, including the rape of a minor, in Delaware County. Steven Vicario, aged 41, faced judgment this past Friday when a jury found him guilty of two counts of rape, sexual battery, and tampering with evidence. The verdict comes after a trial spanned four days, as reported by NBC4i.
At the trial's heart, the accusations were rooted in chilling incidents dating back to late 2023. Carrying a minor into the Delaware Police Department on Nov. 5, 2023, a woman accused Vicario of committing the alleged acts in the dark, early hours at a residence. Found spuriously in a bedroom with the minor, Vicario had departed before the child was taken to the authorities. The Delaware County prosecutor's office detailed that the child had been sexually assaulted, as disclosed by WBNS.
Given his service position as the mobilization, plans, and readiness division chief of the Ohio National Guard, this incident casts a long, discomforting shadow on the institution. Vicario, who also held the rank of lieutenant colonel, was taken into custody without a stir on April 19 following the grave accusations. In a bracing twist of events, prosecutors say that Vicario had attempted to manipulate witnesses connected to the case, as ABC6 informed.
The conclusion of the trial ushers Vicario towards sentencing, scheduled for the approaching Wednesday, where he potentially faces up to 25 years in prison. After sifting through evidence and testimonies, including those from doctors and forensic scientists, the jury had to decide—groundwork that resulted in the guilty verdicts enunciated above. Supplemental to the chilling narrative provided by the prosecutors, police reports unveiled that Vicario's home housed over 50 firearms, an incongruously stark contrast to the tender years of the victim involved.
