COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio man who hid out on the west coast to avoid charges for raping a 4-year-old has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In addition to his sentence, a Jackson County judge ordered 38-year-old Jason Rowland to a “no contact” order and a lifetime requirement to register as a Tier 3 sex offender.
According to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the charges stemmed from 2012 when Rowland sexually assaulted the child and fled to Seattle.
An investigation by the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation along with assistance from the Seattle Police Department led to the discovery of Rowland’s location.
Authorities charged and arrested Rowland and then extradited him back to Ohio.
On Aug. 20, Rowland was convicted of one count of rape of a victim under the age of 10 and one count of gross sexual imposition.
“Rape is a violation of the body, the mind and the soul and its trauma has a lifetime impact on survivors,” Yost said. “It is fitting that this predator will spend the rest of his days behind bars, he will molest no more children in no prison.”
