OVH employee charged with rape

PERKINS TWP. — An Ohio Veterans Home employee was charged with a felony after allegedly taking explicit photos of residents in the home and sexually assaulting one. Norwalk resident David Valentine, 28, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of rape, according to Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter. Valentine worked as a nurse's aide at the veterans home on Columbus Avenue. Ohio Veterans Home police received a call Friday with an allegation that Valentine took and shared sexually explicit photos of residents, according to a news release from the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. On Tuesday, OVH police and state troopers interviewed Valentine, who denied the allegations and let police check his phone, the release states. Police did not see any of the reported images on his phone, but the home took Valentine out of resident care and placed him on an assignment where he had no contact with residents. According to the release, a witness confirmed they had seen the photos allegedly taken by Valentine. During a second interview with Valentine on Wednesday, he allegedly admitted to taking photos of three different residents and to sexually assaulting one resident on two separate occasions. He said the attacks happened in November and December of 2021. "OVH has notified family members of the residents who were victimized by Mr. Valentine and also is taking steps to ensure those victimized have access to counseling and other supports," the release states. Valentine's charge is still pending in the Sandusky Municipal Court. It's not known if he's yet been arraigned or entered a plea; His case does not appear in an online court record database. The Erie County Prosecutor's Office plans to take the case before a grand jury soon, Baxter said.