Marion County man convicted of raping mentally disabled woman

MARION, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Marion County man was convicted of sexual assault and rape charges tied to his abuse of a developmentally disabled woman.

A Marion County jury found David Saunders, 48, of Marion, guilty Tuesday of two counts of rape and four counts of sexual battery. He was charged and arrested in January 2022.

According to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, Saunders assaulted the victim between January 2019 to January 2022. The woman, who is in her 20s, lives with mental disabilities and has the mental capacity of a child, the prosecutor's office said.

Saunders knew the woman's mental capabilities and took advantage of them, the prosecutor's office said.

"This case is among the worst I have seen, let alone prosecuted," Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan said. "Saunders was supposed to protect this young woman, but instead, he took advantage of her and repeatedly sexually assaulted her."

According to Grogan, the jury took less than one hour to convict Saunders.

Saunders will be sentenced at a later date.