Elderly man handed life sentence for raping 4-year-old boy at in-home day care center
08/05/2026 11:05 am PDT
MARION, Ohio (TCN) -- A 66-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of rape and gross sexual imposition last month.
In October 2024, a 4-year-old boy who attended a home day care center run by Mark Kelley’s wife disclosed to his grandmother that Kelley had raped him, WCMH reports. The boy reportedly told his grandmother it was a secret and he was not supposed to tell anyone.
According to WBNS, the child’s story remained consistent during a forensic interview a week after he first disclosed the assault. In addition, he positively identified Kelley as the person who assaulted him.
During his initial interview with police, Kelley admitted the boy had been inside his bedroom but claimed the accusations were motivated by animosity from the child’s grandmother, who had previously been Kelley’s boss, according to WCMH. In addition, Kelley blamed the child’s mother for the accusations and said the child was angry and hates everyone.
WBNS reports Kelley was found guilty of one count of rape and one count of gross sexual imposition after a two-day trial in July.
According to Marion County Prosecutor Raymond A. Grogan, “What this man did is despicable and he deserves to spend the rest of his life in the dark shadows of a prison cell. … Given that he’s now 66 years old, with a little bit of luck, he will almost certainly die in that prison cell,” according to WCMH.
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