Sentence for convicted rapist Derrick Fischer will be announced on Friday afternoon

An Akron man already behind bars for drug and domestic violence charges dating back to 2016 will be sentenced Friday for a 2010 rape in Barberton for which he was found guilty in April.

Editor’s note: This story will be updated after his sentencing.

RELATED: Jury finds convicted Akron rapist Derrick Fischer guilty in 2010 Barberton case

The defendant, Derrick Fischer, was found guilty earlier this year of two counts of rape for beating, strangling and raping a woman at a party 14 years ago.

The victim told jurors that she was attacked by Fischer at a party in September 2010. She said a knock on the door allowed her to escape the room she was in.

Alleged victim and forensic nurse testify in Akron rapist’s sexual assault trial in 2010 Barberton case

RELATED: Victim and forensic nurse testify in Akron rapist sexual assault trial in 2010 Barberton case

DNA evidence linked Fischer to the crime. He has been in prison since his conviction in another domestic violence and drug case. Fischer was previously convicted of another rape in Akron more than 30 years ago.

Expired justice

News 5 first reported on Fischer’s exclusive investigation titled “Expired Justice,” which revealed that some rapists remain at large under Ohio state law.

Despite DNA evidence, statute of limitations prevents prosecution of rape cases in Ohio

RELATED: Despite DNA evidence, statute of limitations prevents prosecution of rape cases in Ohio

In 2019, an Akron mother told us that DNA from her rape kit matched Fischer. However, he was never arrested, charged, or prosecuted for the 1991 crime because the statute of limitations had expired.

According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the 1991 Akron case was one of 61 in which no one was ever prosecuted despite DNA matching as part of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which was launched in 2012 by then-Attorney General Mike DeWine to DNA test the state’s backlog of sexual assault kits.