Zanesville man accused of sexually assaulting children pleads not guilty at arraignment
April 22, 2020
A 23-year-old Zanesville man charged in the sexual assaults of three children is facing a possible life sentence if convicted.
Joshua Kerns pleaded not guilty to more than a dozen charges in common pleas court Wednesday morning.
He is accused of sexually assaulting, raping and harming the victims.
The youngest at the time of the first assault was just eight-years-old.
According to Kerns’ indictment, the alleged dates of abuse ranged between July 2018 and January 2020.
He is charged with the following felonies:
- Two counts of rape with a victim less than 10, first-degree felonies
- Four counts of rape, first-degree felonies
- One count of kidnapping with a sexual motivation specification, first-degree felony
- One count of illegal use of a minor in a nudity oriented matter or performance, second-degree felony
- Two counts of endangering children, second-degree felonies
- Three counts of attempted rape, second-degree felonies
- Two counts of sexual battery, third-degree felonies
- Three counts of gross sexual imposition, third-degree felonies
- One count of attempted illegal use of a minor in a nudity oriented matter or performance, a third-degree felony
Kerns is currently being held in the Muskingum County Jail on a $1 million bond.
TheHonestBlogger • May 9, 2020 at 12:14 am
A lot of times you have to wonder about cases like this. Right and wrong seems to be a big fog to a lot of people these days. But it’s best to leave all this up to a jury and let them figure it out.
Agitator • May 6, 2020 at 5:51 pm
As I was told he admitted everything to the cops and then changed his mind when he found out he would get life in prison plus he also had pictures on his phone of doing it , I think public hanging would put an end to a lot of this stuff
Karen • Apr 25, 2020 at 2:39 am
To Michele above, calm down. Who knows if he is guilty, it says he pleaded not guilty so who really knows. It’s possible that the kids are being told to lie by their parents to set up and take this young man down. People conspire all the time so just take it into consideration.
Michele • Apr 24, 2020 at 9:00 am
Send him to prison put him in general population and let the other inmates do to him what he did to those children. I believe in the Words of God says eye for eye. He is garbage a waste of space anyone that could do just a horrifying act on a child deserves what’s coming to him.#KARMA