Former cop sentenced to decades in prison

PORT CLINTON — A former Walbridge, Ohio, police officer who previously pleaded guilty to multiple felony child sex charges was sentenced to decades in prison on Monday. Austin M. Sabo, 24, who has addresses in both Oak Harbor and Oregon, Ohio, was convicted on seven felony charges and two misdemeanors across four cases, including counts of rape, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material. Sabo pleaded guilty to the nine charges on Nov. 14 in exchange for the dismissal of nine felony charges and seven misdemeanors. Sabo recently attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, but that was rejected by a judge. Across all four cases, Sabo was originally indicted on 25 counts overall, including counts of rape, sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Ottawa County Common Pleas Court Judge Bruce Winters sentenced Sabo to serve 28-and-a-half to 34 years in prison, according to court records. Sabo is additionally classified as a Tier 3 sex offender, which means that he must verify his home and work addresses every three months for the rest of his life. Under the terms of his sentencing, Sabo received credit for over a year served in jail and is subject to a term of five years of post-release control, court records state. Background The investigation into Sabo began on Nov. 27, 2024, after officers from the Oak Harbor and Elmore police departments and the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at his residence due to reports that he was exchanging nude photos with a child, according to a news release from the Ottawa County Major Crimes Unit. Between December 2024 and February 2025, grand jurors in Ottawa County indicted Sabo in four separate criminal cases. One of the allegations included a claim that Sabo engaged in sexual conduct with a child under the age of 13.