A Toledo man accused of rape and kidnapping of a minor faces life in prison if found guilty.
Jeremy Sims, 43, appeared Thursday in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Molly Mack.
Sims is facing two counts of rape, with each carrying a prison sentence of 25 years to life. There are also other charges relating to the alleged kidnapping and prostitution of a minor.
Sims, who appeared via video from the Wood County jail, had his head lowered and resting on his folded arms as Mack read the potential sentences for each of the charges he is facing.
Sims was indicted June 21 for two counts of rape, each with repeat and sexually violent offender specifications; kidnapping within a school safety zone and with both sexual motivation and sexually violent predator specifications; pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person; compelling prostitution; and gross sexual imposition.
According to court documents, Sims allegedly raped a 12-year-old on May 26.
For the two repeat violent offender specifications on this charge, Mack said there is a prison sentence of one-10 years, and they must be served consecutively. The rape charges require a Tier III sex offender registration, which will require registration every 90 days for life.
The repeat violent offender specification is due to him previously been convicted in 2003 of robbery in Lucas County.
Sims also is charged with kidnapping, which is also a first-degree felony. This offense alleged occurred May 16 with the same 12-year-old after Sims allegedly took the child and restrained his liberty for the purpose of committing rape.
The kidnapping allegedly happened in a school safety zone, according to the indictment, which also indicates the action was sexually motivated.
The minor was removed from the grounds of Perrysburg High School but not during school hours, according to Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson.
Mack said the sentence for kidnapping is 15 years to life along with the same mandatory consecutive same prison sentence for the repeat offense specification plus a two-year mandatory consecutive session for the alleged offense occurring in a school zone.
Sims allegedly committed importuning by soliciting the 12-year-old to engage in a sexual activity and allegedly pandered obscenity on June 1 by creating or producing an obscene performance that had a minor as one of its participants.
Importuning and pandering are both second-degree felonies and each carries a possible prison sentence of two-12 years.
Sims allegedly either paid or agreed to pay the 12-year-old to engage in sexual activity.
Both compelling prostitution and gross sexual imposition, which is where he allegedly had sexual contact with the minor, are third-degree felonies. The first charge has a potential prison sentence of nine-36 months and sentencing for the second charge could be 12-60 months.
Defense attorney Kent Sobran entered pleas of not guilty on behalf of his client.
He asked for an own recognizance bond to allow Sims to travel to Michigan to face felony charges in Monroe and Lenawee counties.
Wood County Assistant Prosecutor Charles McDonald said the charges against Sims are violent and involve a child. He asked for a $500,000 bond.
Mack concurred, alluding to Sims’ extensive criminal record.
Sims was already in jail at the time of this indictment after being indicted June 7 for disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony.
Mack ordered, if Sims posted bond, that he has no contact with the alleged victim or any minors and have no access to the internet.
He must get AIDS and STD testing.
His next court appearance is Aug. 17 which coincides with a pretrial date for the June 7 charge.
Sims pleaded guilty in Wood County in 2003 to pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and was sentenced to six months in prison, to be served consecutively with a Lucas County sentence.
