A Summit County jury in Akron yesterday found 37-year-old Dominic Galloway of Cuyahoga Falls guilty of raping a child who had been placed in his care, returning guilty verdicts on multiple serious felony counts.
Case details and charges
Jurors convicted Galloway on three counts of rape, multiple counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, and counts of gross sexual imposition involving a child under 13, according to Cleveland.com. Prosecutors told jurors that investigators recovered numerous explicit images of children from several electronic devices that belonged to Galloway.
Victim testimony and prosecutor comments
Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich publicly praised the child’s willingness to testify, saying the victim showed “extraordinary courage and bravery in coming forward and testifying at trial,” according to the reporting. Prosecutors said the child had been under Galloway’s care when the abuse occurred. Court filings show that sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 1, per Cleveland.com.
Possible penalties under Ohio law
Under Ohio law, rape of a child younger than 13 is a first-degree felony, and a court may impose a prison term or life imprisonment depending on the circumstances, per Ohio Revised Code §2907.02. The statute permits a life-without-parole term in limited situations, including prior similar convictions, serious physical harm to the victim, or when the victim is under 10.
What happens next and where to get help
Galloway’s defense will have the option to file post-trial motions and pursue appeals after sentencing, and the court is set to address punishment on Sept. 1. For survivors and families seeking support, the state’s survivors directory lists the Victim Assistance Program of Summit County and other local advocacy services, per the state directory.
The case will remain on the Summit County Common Pleas Court calendar through sentencing and any post-trial filings. Court records will ultimately show whether prosecutors move to seek the most severe penalties allowed under state law.
