Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 24, 2026
Perry County Man Guilty of Kidnapping, Gross Sexual Imposition
Zanesville – A jury of seven women and five men returned a verdict Friday afternoon finding Shawn “Mike” Hale, of New Lexington, guilty of the crimes of Kidnapping to commit a sex offense and Gross Sexual Imposition, felonies of the first and fourth degree.
After two days of testimony and hours of video evidence, the jury concluded that the victim meant what she said when she told Hale to “stop,” “get off,” “quit,” and “let go,” dozens of times captured on a home security camera.
The jurors saw Hale as he placed the victim in a headlock, touched the private parts of her body over her clothes, and climbed on top of her while declaring she was going to have sexual relations with him.
The case, prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Jahan Karamali and John Litle resulted in a verdict in little over twenty minutes.
Prosecutor Ron Welch later thanked the jury for their careful attention and for maintaining the tradition of Muskingum County jurors caring about persons who have experienced a sexually related crime.
“This was a hard fought case – not because the video evidence was unclear, but because the defendant believed that his behavior was not serious in nature,” according to Litle.
“In Muskingum County, as it should be everywhere, no means no. Victims have the right to control their own bodies, and it is the obligation of others to respect a person’s demand that they not be touched.”
Litle added, “Today the jury handed back the victim some of the dignity that Mike Hale stole from her in early May.”
Hale faces sentencing at a later date.
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