Convicted sex offender gets life in prison, no parole, for raping girl 30-plus years ago

ELYRIA — A convicted sex offender was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for the rape of a preteen girl more than 30 years ago. Charles Calhoun, 77, of Lorain, denied raping anyone or committing other sex crimes prior to Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Donna Freeman sentencing him to life in prison, with no parole. Calhoun faced four rape charges in a trial that lasted four days, Sept. 22-25. Jurors found Calhoun guilty of rape of a child under 13, a felony, by force or threat of force for an incident that happened in 1993. They found him not guilty of the three other rape charges, according to the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office. Attorney Matthew Bobrowski, who was appointed by the court to represent Calhoun, said his client would appeal his conviction. Because the crimes occurred in 1992 and 1993, the law said Freeman had to sentenced Calhoun under the sentencing law in place at the time. That law said the court "shall" sentence a defendant found guilty of the charge that Calhoun was convicted of to life in prison with no possibility of parole. "I don't think this court has any other choice but to sentence him to life in prison," Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Gentiluomo told Freeman. Freeman waived all fines and court costs because Calhoun is indigent and unable to pay, and granted him credit for time served in the Lorain County Jail awaiting trial. Calhoun has been in custody on a high bond since at least Dec. 11, 2024, the date of his rape indictment, or 324 days. Lorain police investigated after the victim, now an adult, reported the crime more than 30 years later. The victim testified at trial and was "thankful" but did not appear in court for sentencing Thursday, Gentiluomo said. She told prosecutors she "did what she had to do," he said. Given the chance to speak, Calhoun told Freeman he was upset. He said he never admitted to sexually abusing anyone and that the victims in both this case and two prior cases against him were lying. "I never did admit to doing anything," he said, calling his denials "the God's honest truth." Calhoun was labeled a registered Tier III sex offender after pleading guilty to and being convicted of attempted rape and gross sexual imposition in 2024 in two cases with other victims. Judge Raymond Ewers sentenced him to three years on community control in those two cases. Being a Tier III sex offender means Calhoun is required to register his address and other identifying information with his local sheriff's office in person every 90 days for the rest of his life if he is ever released from prison. The Prosecutor's Office said the victims in the prior cases were ages 6 and 10 at the time. Calhoun said he didn't abuse those victims either and that they were out to get him. "Everything was made up," he said. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. HELP IS AVAILABLE For sexual assault and abuse crisis services call Riveon Mental Health and Recovery's Sexual Assault Services at (440) 204-4359.