A Vigo County judge on Thursday sentenced 25-year-old Ethan Rubinacci to 50 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sex crimes involving children, according to prosecutors. The admitted offenses involved victims between 8 and 17 years old, and Rubinacci was first arrested in February 2024 after a local investigation into alleged incidents involving minors.
As reported by WTHI, Rubinacci pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a minor and two counts of child molestation. In return, prosecutors agreed to dismiss eleven remaining counts. The station reported that the judge imposed the 50-year sentence under the terms of that plea agreement.
Rubinacci's arrest followed a multi-week probe by the Vigo County Sheriff's Office, and early court filings listed a range of charges, including child molesting, sexual misconduct with a mino,r and multiple counts related to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to The Tribune-Star. Those initial filings also included accusations of furnishing alcohol to minors that later appeared in prosecutors' case files.
Plea Deal and Court Ruling
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors outlined the scope of the allegations and urged the judge to hand down a lengthy prison term. The court agreed and entered a 50-year sentence consistent with the plea agreement, as detailed by WTHI. The deal spared the victims from having to testify at trial and resolved the bulk of the outstanding indictments.
Investigation and Charges
Charging documents filed in 2024 listed multiple felonies and misdemeanors, from level-1 child-molesting counts to class-B misdemeanors alleging that Rubinacci furnished alcohol to minors, reflecting the breadth of accusations uncovered during the investigation, per WAMB Radio. Investigators said evidence gathered during the probe formed the basis for the plea negotiations.
With the sentence entered, the case files and final judgment are a matter of public record at the Vigo County clerk's office. Those seeking the docket can contact the clerk's office for official copies.
