Sharonville Man, 47, Hit With 12 Child-Sex Counts After Tipoff, Prosecutors Say

David Lewis, 47, of Sharonville, was indicted this week on 12 felony counts that accuse him of photographing a minor in a state of nudity and possessing child sexual material. He was arraigned on May 8 and is scheduled to return to Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on May 22. According to the indictment, investigators say Lewis photographed the victim multiple times around Sept. 20 after a tip led them to him.

What prosecutors allege

As reported by WKRC Local 12, court filings say Lewis was indicted Wednesday on 12 counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material and pandering sexually oriented matter. The indictment describes photos taken "in a state of nudity" but does not explain how Lewis might have known the victim, according to the station. Lewis was arraigned on May 8 and is due back in court on May 22, the outlet reports.

Charges under Ohio law

The two statutes prosecutors cited -- pandering sexually oriented matter and illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material -- appear in Ohio Revised Code section 2907.322 and section 2907.323. Those laws criminalize photographing, creating or possessing sexually explicit imagery of minors. The statutes classify many of those offenses as felonies, and some violations are second-degree felonies that can carry mandatory prison terms or restitution if certain specifications apply, according to the text of the laws.

What’s next in court

Lewis remains entitled to the presumption of innocence as the case moves forward, since an indictment is only a formal accusation and not a finding of guilt. Court records reviewed for this report show his next appearance is scheduled for May 22 and that the investigation began after a tip to investigators.

Local context

Hamilton County prosecutors have brought a string of high-profile child pornography and exploitation cases in recent months. In one earlier case, a defendant received a roughly 10-to-11-year sentence after authorities said investigators recovered thousands of illicit images. That case was reported by FOX19, which noted investigators recovered roughly 3,000 images and videos.

Anyone with information related to the Lewis case is urged to contact local law enforcement or Hamilton County authorities so investigators can follow up. Details about Lewis' attorney were not available in court records reviewed for this report.