Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 29, 2026
Appeal Denied for Former Muskingum County Corrections Officer Convicted of Domestic Violence
(ZANESVILLE, OH)
On October 24, 2025, Bryan Catlin, appeared in the Muskingum Court of Common Pleas before Judge Gerald Anderson to admit guilt to charges stemming from an incident which resulted from Catlin being confronted about his having engaged in non-consensual sex acts with a long-term partner.
In 2025, the victim reported to the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office that Catlin had physically abused her, possessed a firearm, and was experiencing a mental health crisis. She stated that during an argument on May 22, Catlin pinned her to a bed, causing bruising that deputies later documented. She also disclosed a prior sexual assault.
Later that day, deputies located Catlin asleep in a vehicle at Zanesville Memorial Park Cemetery with a handgun beside him. After a nearly three-hour standoff, during which he held the firearm to his head while drinking alcohol, Catlin surrendered and was taken into custody.
Catlin admitted guilt to several charges including Kidnapping, Domestic Violence, Obstructing Official Business, Improperly Handling Firearms in a Motor Vehicle, and Using Weapons While Intoxicated.
Judge Anderson sentenced Catlin to 16 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at Marion Correctional Institute. His expected release date is 05/21/2041.
https://www.muskingumprosecutor.org/News-Events/Former-Muskingum-County-Corrections-Officer-Sentenced-To-16-Years-In-Prison/331/
Catlin filed an appeal with the Fifth District Court of Appeals arguing that the trial court based his sentencing on “uncharged and dismissed alleged conduct” noting that the Court had discussed criminal allegations which were not in the sentencing charges.
In multiple recent cases the Fifth District has reminded defendants that while a conviction occurs because of a person’s actions, sentencing is applied to the person as a whole, and their criminal acts form only a portion of the reasons for a sentence.
“A sentencing court may consider prior arrests, dismissed charges, acquitted conduct, and other uncharged conduct contained within a PSI report.”
At sentencing Judge Anderson considered the case record, all statements, the victim-impact statement, the plea recommendation, the principles and purposes of sentencing under R.C 2929.11, and the seriousness and recidivism factors under R.C 2929.12.
The Court of Appeals agreed with the judgment of the Muskingum Court of Common Pleas and Catlin will continue to serve his sixteen-year prison sentence.
Prosecutor Welch highlighted, “Many cases result in appeals because the defendant claims either the State or the court did something wrong. The Court of Appeals reviews all of these claims. Our office has a great deal of success in the court of appeals because both our office and the courts make every effort to ensure the criminal justice process is fair for everyone.”
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