SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio — A child sexual assault case has been reported in Scioto County, according to Sheriff David Thoroughman. The Scioto County Children’s Services alerted the Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, March 8th, that a child had been sexually assaulted. The authorities put a safety plan in place for the victim immediately.
Investigations were conducted by Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel, in conjunction with the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim Unit. The investigation uncovered that the victim would have been nine years old on the date of the alleged assaults. The accused, Shannon Ray Bobst, aged 21, was arrested and charged with two counts of rape, a first-degree felony, and two counts of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony. Bobst is set to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Friday, March 10th, 2023.
The Sheriff reiterated that the investigation was ongoing and could potentially involve more victims. The quick arrest of Bobst was attributed to the joint efforts of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, Children Services, and Prosecutor’s Office. Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.