GREENFIELD, Ohio — A Greenfield man previously indicted on seven counts of rape earlier this year was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison Wednesday in a separate bill of information.
During a status hearing in Highland County Common Pleas Court, Harold H. Willis, 44, waived his right to prosecution by indictment, with the state filing a bill of information charging Willis with rape and complicity to rape, both first-degree felonies.
Willis — who appeared via Zoom and was represented by attorney JD Wagoner — pleaded guilty to rape and entered an Alford plea of guilty to the complicity of rape charge. (An Alford plea allows the defendant to plead guilty but maintain innocence of the charges.) The original seven-count indictment has been dismissed.
The allegations in the bill of information involved incidents in 2001 and 2005, with multiple victims. Two victims read prepared statements prior to sentencing. Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins told The Highland County Press that her office is “proud of all of the victims for having the strength and courage to come forward and tell their story.”
Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss sentenced Willis to a definite determinate term of 10 years on each count, for a total mandatory sentence of 20 years. Willis had jail time credit of 154 days.
Willis will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Collins thanked Sergeant Detective Vincent Antinore of the Highland County Sheriff’s Office, Patrolman Jay Beatty of the Greenfield Police Department, Investigators Chris Bowen and Randy Sanders of the Prosecutor’s Office and Highland County Victim Witness Director Heather Collins.
“All of them are in different offices and even different parts of the county, but they worked together, and they all chose to believe in victims,” Collins said. “Today Highland County was made safer when a sexual predator went to prison for the next 20 years.”