Ohio child molester David Varner is sentenced to life in prison in Warren, Ohio

WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – A Champion man convicted of raping a child was sentenced Wednesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

According to the Trumbull County District Attorney’s Office, 46-year-old David Varner Jr. pleaded guilty in May to two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in connection with the sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl.

He was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison without the chance of parole for the next 20 years.

The crime occurred on Christmas Eve 2023. Varner was charged in January.

According to the Trumbull County District Attorney’s Office, Varner is also considered a Class III sex offender and, if he is ever released from prison, will be required to register with the local sheriff’s office for the rest of his life.

Assistant District Attorney Gabe Wildman said the state had agreed to a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, but Judge Sean O’Brien expressed dismay at the facts of the case and the background information.

“I cannot recall a more serious crime being committed while I sit here on the bench,” O’Brien said, adding that the seriousness of the offense and Varner’s conduct justified the consecutive sentences.