Englewood man sentenced to at least 8 years for sexually abusing child

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. JIM NOELKER/STAFF FILE

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. JIM NOELKER/STAFF FILE

An Englewood man who allegedly sexually abused a child was sentenced to prison last week after pleading guilty to charges in August.

What was he sentenced to?

• James Craft, 36, was sentenced to eight to 12 years in prison, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

What was he convicted of?

• Craft pleaded guilty to one count each of rape and sexual battery (child younger than 13) and two counts of gross sexual imposition in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

James C. Craft. Photo courtesy Miami Valley Jails

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What was he accused of?

• On Aug. 25, 2024, Englewood police received a sexual abuse complaint that Craft engaged in sex acts with the victim, according to Vandalia Municipal Court records.

• The abuse allegedly began in May.

• During one incident, Craft showed the victim adult pornography, according to an affidavit.

• The victim was known to Craft.

• The day after police opened the investigation, officers responded to reports that Craft was firing a gun in a back yard, according to municipal court records.

• When police arrived, Craft walked toward an officer and said, “Just shoot me,” according to an affidavit.

• Police used a Taser on Craft and took him to the hospital for a mental health hold.

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