Ex-police officer’s rape conviction upheld on appeal

Kevin C. Wright of West Milton was convicted of felony rape of a person under age 13.

Credit: Miami County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Miami County Sheriff's Office

Kevin C. Wright of West Milton was convicted of felony rape of a person under age 13.

Ohio’s 2nd District Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of former West Milton police officer Kevin Wright on three felony counts of rape of a girl younger than 13.

In a decision filed Friday, the court said the convictions were supported by the evidence and that evidence did not support 10 claimed errors during the trial.

Wright, 35, was found guilty in April 2021 by a Miami County jury. He was accused of repeated sexual conduct with the minor between 2017 and December 2019.

Both Wright and the girl testified during the Common Pleas Court trial.

Judge Stacy Wall subsequently sentenced Wright to 10 years to life in prison on each of the charges and ordered him to serve the sentences consecutively.

Wright’s appeal was filed by attorney Stephen Palmer of Columbus. The appeal claimed, among other things, that the court erred in admitting testimony of an expert witness for the prosecution and that the prosecutor engaged in misconduct with statements made in his closing argument. It also argued Wright received ineffective assistance of legal counsel. The court rejected the appeal claims.

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