Ohio City Man Sentenced To Prison In Sexual Battery Case

An Ohio City man convicted of sexual battery was sentenced this week in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

34-year-old Seth Marbaugh was sentenced by Judge Martin D. Burchfield to 36 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay court costs.

After his release from prison, Marbaugh will be subject to five years of post-release control. He will also be classified as a Tier III sex offender, the highest sex offender classification in Ohio.

As a Tier III offender, Marbaugh will be required to register his address with authorities every 90 days for the rest of his life. He will also be subject to mandatory community notification.

Marbaugh changed his plea from not guilty to guilty during a hearing in late April on one count of sexual battery, a third-degree felony.

Before the plea change, Marbaugh had been facing multiple charges, including rape, sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and tampering with evidence. He had been scheduled to stand trial last month.

Court records state the alleged offenses happened between May of 2023 and October of 2024. Records also state the alleged victim was between 13 and 16 years old.