CHILLICOTHE — A 50-year-old Chillicothe man is behind bars in Ross County after police arrested him Friday on five counts of gross sexual imposition involving a victim or victims under the age of 13, according to jail records.
Kevin D. Hortel was booked into the Ross County Jail at 5:10 p.m. Friday following his arrest by Chillicothe police. Bond in the case was set at $150,000.
Gross sexual imposition is a felony offense under Ohio law, and allegations involving a child younger than 13 carry the most serious classification of the charge. Each of the five counts against Hortel relates to conduct alleged to have involved a minor, though officials have released few specifics about the underlying investigation.
Authorities have not said how the allegations came to light, whether the case involves one victim or more than one, or over what period the alleged conduct occurred. Chillicothe police have released no additional details, and the investigation’s public record so far rests on the jail booking and the charges themselves.
The charges are allegations only, and Hortel is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. His case is expected to proceed through the Ross County court system, where a grand jury could be asked to review the charges for indictment.
NewsForce247 will continue following the case as court records become available.
