Convicted sex offender sentenced to more than a decade in prison

SANDUSKY — A Collins man who was previously convicted of committing sex crimes against a child in Huron County was sentenced to more than a decade in prison for raping a child on Thursday. Aiden J. Sharp, 22, of the 2400 block of Collins Road, was convicted on one amended count of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony; and one count of rape, a first-degree felony. Sharp pleaded guilty to the two charges on Jan. 16 in exchange for the dismissal of seven additional felony counts of rape. Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Roger Binette sentenced Sharp to serve 15 years to 20-and-a-half years in prison, according to court records. Sharp received credit for over four months served in jail and is subject to a term of five years of post-release control. Under the terms of his sentencing, Sharp is classified as a Tier 3 sex offender, which means that he must verify home and work addresses every three months for the rest of his life, court records state. Background The investigation into Sharp regarding this most recent case began on June 5 when the victim disclosed to law enforcement that Sharp had been sexually assaulting them for a period of eight years, according to an Erie County Sheriff's Office report. The child said that if they refused Sharp's advances, Sharp would tell them that "no one loves (them)" until they complied, the report states. As a result of this information, Erie County grand jurors indicted Sharp on Oct. 30, noting that the crimes occurred from May 2014 through April 2022. At the time of the child's statement, law enforcement was made aware that Sharp was incarcerated at the Huron County Jail due to previously pleading guilty in an earlier Huron County case, the report states. Outcome of the Huron County case In Sharp's previous case, he was initially arrested on Feb. 14, 2025, by the Huron County Sheriff's Office and booked into the Huron County Jail on one count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fourth-degree felony. Sharp was later indicted by a Huron County grand jury in March on five counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, each a fourth-degree felony; and five counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, each a fifth-degree felony. All of Sharp's charges stemmed from his engagement in sexual conduct with a child younger than 16 years of age. Sharp pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, each a fourth-degree felony, and one count of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony. Sharp pleaded guilty to the five charges in exchange for the dismissal of five additional felony charges. On June 18, Huron County Common Pleas Court Judge James Conway sentenced Sharp to serve approximately six months in the Huron County Jail and three years of probation, according to court records. However, Sharp also received credit for roughly three months spent in jail, which ultimately shortened his sentence to three months.