Van Wert County man sentenced for sex crime

8/21/2003

VAN WERT, Ohio — A Van Wert County man was sentenced yesterday to serve at least 60 days in jail for having sexual contact with a teenage girl earlier this year.

Roger Bates, 57, of Convoy, also was given a sixth-month prison term, which Judge Charles Steele suspended pending completion of a five-year community control program. Bates' probation officer was given the discretion to have him serve up to 30 additional days in jail.

Bates also was ordered to attend a sexual offenders' program and was classified as a sexually oriented offender. He was convicted of attempted gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony, for having sexual contact with a girl under the age of 13 on Feb. 16.