State v. Conrad , 2018 Ohio 5291 ( 2018 )


Menu:
  • [Cite as State v. Conrad, 
    2018-Ohio-5291
    .]
    IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
    TWELFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO
    BUTLER COUNTY
    STATE OF OHIO,                                    :     CASE NO. CA2018-01-016
    Appellee,                                 :           OPINION
    12/28/2018
    :
    - vs -
    :
    TYLER M. CONRAD,                                  :
    Appellant.                                :
    CRIMINAL APPEAL FROM BUTLER COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
    Case No. CR2016-11-1707
    Michael T. Gmoser, Butler County Prosecuting Attorney, Willa Concannon, Government
    Services Center, 315 High Street, 11th Floor, Hamilton, OH 45011, for appellee
    Engel & Martin, LLC, Mary K. Martin, 5181 Natorp Blvd., Suite 210, Mason, Ohio 45040, for
    appellant
    M. POWELL, J.
    {¶ 1} Appellant, Tyler Conrad, appeals from his convictions in the Butler County
    Court of Common Pleas for sexual imposition and contributing to the unruliness of a child.
    For the reasons discussed below, this court affirms Conrad's convictions.
    {¶ 2} Conrad was a teacher at a public senior high school. The state alleged that
    Conrad – then 26 years old – had an inappropriate relationship with "S.," a 15-year-old
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    female student. The allegations involved several incidences of sexual activity occurring in
    and out of school.
    {¶ 3} Following a police investigation, Conrad was indicted for two counts of sexual
    battery in violation of R.C. 2907.03(A)(7), third-degree felonies (hereinafter the sexual
    battery offenses). The sexual battery offenses were based upon two instances where
    Conrad allegedly digitally penetrated S. while she was alone with him in his classroom.
    Conrad was also indicted with one count of contributing to the unruliness of a child, a
    violation of R.C. 2919.24(A)(2) (2016), a first-degree misdemeanor, and sexual imposition,
    a violation of R.C. 2907.06(A)(4), a third-degree misdemeanor. These two charges related
    to an incident where Conrad secretly met with S. and took her to his friend's home in Ross
    Township, Butler County, Ohio (hereinafter "the Ross Twp. offenses"), where he allegedly
    rubbed S.'s vagina.    Conrad entered not guilty pleas to the charges and the matter
    proceeded to a bench trial.
    {¶ 4} S. testified that she was a sophomore student in Conrad's history class during
    the 2015 - 2016 school year. At Conrad's request, she began to work as his teacher's aide
    during a free study hall period. Conrad began to flirt with S. S. testified that Conrad would
    sometimes sit beside her and touch her legs or approach her from behind and lay his hands
    on her shoulders.
    {¶ 5} As the close of the 2015 - 2016 school year approached, Conrad gave S. his
    cellular phone number and invited her to text message him "happy birthday" on his birthday.
    The two subsequently exchanged numerous text messages and calls over the summer of
    2016 and into the next school year. S. did not tell her parents that she was communicating
    with Conrad in this manner and only told her friend, O.
    {¶ 6} S. alleged that Conrad repeatedly requested that she meet with him out of
    school and offered to pick her up in his vehicle. On one occasion, S. and her friend, O,
    -2-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    were having a sleepover when Conrad called. S. put the call on the speaker phone setting.
    O. recognized Conrad's voice. Conrad was asking S. if they could meet. S. declined
    Conrad's invitation.
    {¶ 7} On another occasion toward the end of the 2015 - 2016 school year, Conrad
    called S. and asked that she meet him by her neighborhood swimming pool. S. agreed.
    Because she believed her parents would not have permitted her to meet with Conrad, S.
    lied and told her parents that she was going to meet a friend. S. left her home and met
    Conrad at the arranged rendezvous location.
    {¶ 8} Conrad drove S. to Conrad's friend's home in Ross Township ("the Ross
    home"). They went into the home, sat on the couch, and talked. Eventually, Conrad left
    the room, then returned and told S. to "come here." When S. responded, Conrad then
    began kissing her, lifted her up, carried her into a bedroom, and laid her down on the bed
    where he continued to kiss her. Conrad then proceeded to rub her vagina, initially outside
    the clothing, then underneath.    When Conrad sensed that S. was uncomfortable, he
    stopped and left the room.
    {¶ 9} S. returned to the couch. She and Conrad watched television for some time
    until S. announced that she should probably return home. Conrad dropped her off at a
    shopping center near her home. During her testimony, S. could not recall exactly when this
    incident occurred other than during the summer of 2016. O. testified that S. called her and
    told her what happened shortly after it occurred and while O. was on vacation in Tennessee
    around Memorial Day 2016.
    {¶ 10} The state submitted evidence of cellular phone communications between
    Conrad and S. from May 6, 2016 to October 9, 2016. During this time, Conrad and S.
    exchanged 2,876 text messages and 73 calls. Conrad initiated most of the text messages
    and calls. Many of these communications occurred outside of school hours, late at night
    -3-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    and into the early morning hours.
    {¶ 11} Conrad and S. continued communicating and interacting with one another into
    S.'s junior year. Security camera videotapes capturing the hallway outside of Conrad's
    classroom were admitted at trial and depicted S. walking into Conrad's classroom
    repeatedly at a time when Conrad was not teaching a class. Comparing the cellular phone
    records with the timestamp on the security videotapes indicated that that the two were
    exchanging text messages contemporaneously with S. visiting with Conrad in his empty
    classroom. S. testified that during one of these visits to Conrad's classroom, Conrad
    touched her vagina on the outside of her leggings and on another occasion, he put his hand
    inside her spandex shorts and digitally penetrated her vagina.
    {¶ 12} S. testified that she was attending a religious youth camp and heard a sermon
    which convinced her that what she had been doing with Conrad was wrong and that it had
    to stop. On October 9, 2016, she told a religious youth leader about her relationship with
    Conrad. The youth leader in turn called child protective services. Police then began an
    investigation.
    {¶ 13} Police conducted several interviews with S., who was reluctant to cooperate.
    In the initial round of interviews, S. denied that any sexual activity took place at the school.
    She later admitted that sexual activity occurred at the school, and that digital penetration
    had occurred on more than one occasion. S. led police to the Ross home. Coincidentally,
    as they drove by the Ross home, Conrad was standing in the driveway.
    {¶ 14} Police interviewed Conrad. He admitted a "good relationship" with S. and
    conceded that they had been in communication. However, Conrad denied any inappropriate
    relationship or that any sexual activity occurred. Police confiscated Conrad's phone and
    later downloaded its contents. The content of the text communications between Conrad
    and S. had been erased.
    -4-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    {¶ 15} Similarly, at Conrad's direction, S. had erased from her cellular phone all the
    text messages exchanged with Conrad. S. explained that Conrad had once observed his
    name on her cellular phone and had taken the phone from her and deleted all their
    conversations. Conrad warned S. to delete any future communications.
    {¶ 16} The state introduced testimony from S.'s mother, who testified concerning the
    rules and discipline in S.'s household.        The investigating detective testified and
    authenticated the videotape of Conrad's police interview, which was subsequently
    introduced into evidence. During Conrad's counsel's cross-examination of the investigating
    detective, cellular phone records suggesting that Conrad was in Florida around Memorial
    Day 2016 were identified and later admitted as evidence.
    {¶ 17} At the close of the state's evidence, Conrad moved for acquittal pursuant to
    Crim.R. 29. The court granted the motion with respect to one of the sexual battery counts,
    as S. had not testified that penetration occurred on one of the two alleged incidents in
    Conrad's classroom.
    {¶ 18} During his defense case, Conrad presented the testimony of his friend who
    owned the Ross home. The friend denied that Conrad had a key to access his home during
    the time frame of the offenses alleged to have occurred there.
    {¶ 19} In a written decision, the trial court acquitted Conrad of the remaining sexual
    battery count. The court noted the inconsistencies in S.'s trial testimony and her initial
    statements to the police where she denied that any sexual activity occurred in Conrad's
    classroom and wavered on whether penetration occurred.           However, the court found
    Conrad guilty of the Ross Twp. offenses, specifically noting that it found that Conrad was
    dishonest during his police interview and that O. provided credible corroborating testimony.
    {¶ 20} Following the verdict, Conrad moved for a new trial on the basis that the state
    knew but failed to disclose a narrower date range for the commission of the Ross Twp.
    -5-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    offenses. Conrad argued that if had he known this narrower date range, i.e., around
    Memorial Day 2016, he could have better prepared his alibi defense for trial. Conrad
    attached the affidavits of the persons who were in Florida with Conrad around Memorial
    Day 2016.
    {¶ 21} Conrad appeals, assigning five errors for this court's review.1
    {¶ 22} Assignment of Error No. 1:
    {¶ 23} APPELLANT WAS DENIED A FAIR TRIAL AND WAS DENIED DUE
    PROCESS DUE TO THE STATE'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE A MORE SPECIFIC DATE OF
    OFFENSE.
    {¶ 24} Conrad argues that the state deprived him of a fair trial when it did not provide
    him with a narrowed date range for the Ross Twp. offenses before trial. Conrad contends
    that this prejudiced him because he could not prepare his alibi defense.
    {¶ 25} The state's original indictments alleged that the Ross Twp. offenses occurred
    sometime between May 8, 2016 and August 15, 2016. On the morning of the first day of
    the trial, the state moved to amend the indictments to narrow the potential offense dates to
    between May 24 and August 1, 2016.
    {¶ 26} Following O.'s testimony, in which she testified that S. told her about the
    incident around Memorial Day 2016, Conrad's counsel questioned whether the state was
    obligated to amend the bill of particulars to further narrow the dates of the Ross Twp.
    offenses. The parties and court conferred, and it was agreed that the state would amend
    the indictments to narrow the offense dates to between May 26, 2016 and June 2, 2016.
    The parties further agreed that Conrad could file a written notice of alibi, which would
    provide that Conrad left the state of Ohio for Florida on May 27, 2016 and returned to Ohio
    1. Conrad appeals from the verdict only. The motion for a new trial remains unresolved by the trial court
    pending this appeal.
    -6-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    on June 5, 2016.
    {¶ 27} During cross-examination of the investigating detective, Conrad introduced
    evidence that he was on a Florida vacation on Memorial Day 2016, i.e., May 30, 2016.
    Specifically, Conrad introduced Florida vacation photographs that indicated, by digital date-
    stamp, that the photographs were taken between May 30, 2016 and June 4, 2016.
    {¶ 28} Conrad contends that if the state had had provided him with the narrowed
    offense dates prior to trial he could have prepared a stronger alibi defense. Although not
    part of the trial record, Conrad references his new trial motion affidavits by persons who
    vacationed with Conrad, including the affidavit of Conrad's girlfriend, who averred that she
    travelled with Conrad to and from Florida between May 27, 2016 and June 5, 2016.
    {¶ 29} "[T]he Ohio Constitution guarantees an accused that the essential facts
    constituting the offense for which he is tried will be found in the indictment by the grand
    jury." State v. Jackson, 
    134 Ohio St.3d 184
    , 
    2012-Ohio-5561
    , ¶ 12. "An indictment meets
    constitutional requirements if it 'first, contains the elements of the offense charged and fairly
    informs a defendant of the charge against which he must defend, and, second, enables him
    to plead an acquittal or conviction in bar of future prosecutions for the same offense.'" State
    v. Mielke, 12th Dist. Warren No. CA2012-08-079, 
    2013-Ohio-1612
    , ¶ 30, quoting Jackson
    at ¶ 13.
    {¶ 30} The failure to state the date of a crime will not render an indictment invalid or
    affect a trial, judgment, or other proceedings where the exact date of the offense is not an
    element of the offense which the state needs to prove. State v. Hornsby, 12th Dist.
    Clermont No. CA2017-09-047, 
    2018-Ohio-1457
    , ¶ 20, citing State v. Sellards, 
    17 Ohio St.3d 169
    , 171 (1985); State v. Madden, 
    15 Ohio App.3d 130
     (12th Dist.1984). Neither sexual
    imposition nor contributing to the unruliness of a child required the state the prove the exact
    date of the offense. Moreover, the filing of an alibi defense "does not alter the rule that in a
    -7-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    criminal case the exact date and time of the offense are immaterial unless the nature of the
    offense is such that exactness of time is essential." State v. Sprauer, 12th Dist. Warren No.
    CA2005-02-022, 
    2006-Ohio-1146
    , ¶ 10, quoting State v. Dingus, 
    26 Ohio App.2d 131
     (4th
    Dist.1970), paragraph five of the syllabus.
    {¶ 31} Upon review, this court does not find that the state denied Conrad a fair trial
    or that he suffered prejudice as result the time frame for the Ross Twp. offenses alleged in
    the indictment or bill of particulars at the commencement of his trial. At Conrad's request,
    the indictment was amended after O.'s trial testimony. The amended time frame was within
    the original date range alleged in the indictment, thus the amendment did not present an
    entirely new time frame. Consequently, Conrad was aware that he could present an alibi
    defense for a portion of the original time frame.
    {¶ 32} In addition, the record indicates that the state provided Conrad with O.'s video-
    recorded police interview wherein she stated that S. called her and told her about the
    incident at approximately the beginning of June 2016. Thus, Conrad had additional notice
    that the alleged offenses occurred around the time when he was out of the state.
    {¶ 33} Nonetheless, Conrad presented his alibi defense at trial via the cellular phone
    records introduced into evidence.      The trial court obviously considered Conrad's alibi
    defense, finding in its written decision that the phone records established that Conrad was
    in Florida between May 30 and June 4, 2016. The court also noted that Conrad's cellular
    phone record displayed numerous communications between Conrad and S. on May 26 and
    May 27, 2016, which abruptly ended thereafter and did not resume until June 2. Based
    upon the foregoing, the court found that it was reasonable to assume that Conrad committed
    the Ross Twp. offenses on May 26 or 27 and then left for Florida shortly after.
    {¶ 34} Finally, the record does not support the conclusion that Conrad could have
    presented a "stronger" alibi defense had he been given the narrower date range at an earlier
    -8-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    time. The affidavit of Conrad's girlfriend only avers that she travelled with him beginning on
    May 27. Thus, the affidavit would not preclude the court from finding that Conrad committed
    the offense either on May 26 or on May 27 before leaving for vacation. Accordingly, this
    court finds that Conrad was not deprived of a fair trial and overrules Conrad's first
    assignment of error.
    {¶ 35} Assignment of Error No. 2:
    {¶ 36} APPELLANT WAS DENIED EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL.
    {¶ 37} Conrad contends, in the alternative, that if this court finds he was not deprived
    of a fair trial for the reasons set forth in the prior assignment of error, that he received
    constitutionally deficient performance when his trial counsel did not seek a continuance to
    better establish his alibi defense. Conrad argues that he could have secured trial testimony
    from the witnesses who provided him with affidavits in his motion for a new trial.
    {¶ 38} Counsel is strongly presumed to have rendered adequate assistance and
    made all significant decisions in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment. State
    v. Hendrix, 12th Dist. Butler No. CA2012-05-109, 
    2012-Ohio-5610
    , ¶ 14. As a result, to
    prevail on an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, Conrad must demonstrate (1) his trial
    counsel's performance fell below an objective standard of reasonableness, and (2) he was
    prejudiced as a result. Strickland v. Washington, 
    466 U.S. 668
    , 687-688, 
    104 S.Ct. 2052
    (1984); State v. Burns, 12th Dist. Clinton No. CA2013-10-019, 
    2014-Ohio-4625
    , ¶ 7. The
    failure to make an adequate showing on either prong is fatal to an ineffective assistance of
    counsel claim. State v. Zielinski, 12th Dist. Warren No. CA2010-12-121, 
    2011-Ohio-6535
    ,
    ¶ 50.
    {¶ 39} For the reasons set forth in the first assignment of error, Conrad cannot
    demonstrate prejudice. Conrad's alibi defense was presented at trial and did not establish
    his innocence. The additional witnesses, including the girlfriend, did not provide an alibi for
    -9-
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    the time that the court found that Conrad committed the Ross Twp. offenses, i.e., either
    May 26 or May 27, 2016. This court overrules Conrad's second assignment of error.
    {¶ 40} Assignment of Error No. 3:
    {¶ 41} THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN DENYING [THE MOTION] TO MERGE
    APPELLANT'S OFFENSES.
    {¶ 42} Conrad argues that the court erred in failing to merge the Ross Twp. offenses
    for purposes of sentencing because they were allied offenses of similar import. Conrad
    argues that the acts of meeting the victim, transporting her to the house, the sexual contact,
    and transporting her back to her neighborhood, were a single continuous and uninterrupted
    event with one victim resulting in a single harm.
    {¶ 43} Pursuant to R.C. 2941.25, Ohio's allied-offenses statute, the imposition of
    multiple punishments for the same criminal conduct is prohibited. State v. Rodriguez, 12th
    Dist. Butler No. CA2015-02-024, 
    2016-Ohio-452
    , ¶ 23. If any of the following occurs, the
    defendant may be convicted and sentenced for multiple offenses: "(1) the offenses are
    dissimilar in import or significance — in other words, each offense caused separate,
    identifiable harm, (2) the offenses were committed separately, and (3) the offenses were
    committed with separate animus or motivation." State v. Ruff, 
    143 Ohio St.3d 114
    , 2015-
    Ohio-995, ¶ 25. Two or more offenses of dissimilar import exist "when the defendant's
    conduct constitutes offenses involving separate victims or if the harm that results from each
    offense is separate and identifiable." Id. at ¶ 26.
    {¶ 44} "At its heart, the allied-offense analysis is dependent upon the facts of a case
    because R.C. 2941.25 focuses on the defendant's conduct." Id. at ¶ 26. An appellate court
    applies a de novo standard of review in reviewing a trial court's R.C. 2941.25 merger
    determination.   State v. Williams, 
    134 Ohio St.3d 482
    , 
    2012-Ohio-5699
    , ¶ 28.            "The
    defendant bears the burden of establishing his entitlement to the protection provided by
    - 10 -
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    R.C. 2941.25 against multiple punishments for a single criminal act." State v. Lewis, 12th
    Dist. Clinton No. CA2008-10-045, 
    2012-Ohio-885
    , ¶ 14.
    {¶ 45} Conrad's sexual imposition conviction was premised on a violation of R.C.
    2907.06(A)(4), which provides in pertinent part: "[n]o person shall have sexual contact with
    another * * * when * * * [t]he other person * * * is thirteen years of age or older but less than
    sixteen years of age * * *."
    {¶ 46} Conrad's contributing to the unruliness of a child conviction was based on a
    violation of R.C. 2919.24(A)(2) (2016), which provided in relevant part: "[n]o person * * *
    shall * * * [a]ct in a way tending to cause a child or a ward of the juvenile court to become
    an unruly child * * *." An "unruly child" includes "[a]ny child who does not submit to the
    reasonable control of the child's parents * * * by reason of being wayward or habitually
    disobedient; * * *" and " * * *[a]ny child who behaves in a manner as to injure or endanger
    the child’s own health or morals or the health or morals of others." R.C. 2151.022 (A) and
    (C).
    {¶ 47} The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Conrad engaged in a
    pattern of grooming S. to engage in a sexual relationship with him. This included his
    flirtatious behavior, extensive covert communication, and multiple invitations to meet him
    for reasons unrelated to school. The contributing offense involved just such an invitation
    where S. secretly agreed to meet Conrad and then lied to her parents, telling them she was
    going to meet with a friend. Conrad understood that he was contributing to S.'s unruliness
    because he did not pick her up or drop her off at her home, but rather at a location where
    S.'s parents would be unaware of their actions.
    {¶ 48} Thus, in surreptitiously arranging to meet and transport S. to the Ross home,
    Conrad undermined the rules and discipline of S.'s parents, i.e., tended to cause her to not
    submit to the reasonable control of her parents by reason of being wayward and to act in a
    - 11 -
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    manner injurious to S.'s own health or morals. This harm was dissimilar in import to the
    harm resulting from an adult having sexual contact with a child. This court overrules
    Conrad's third assignment of error.
    {¶ 49} Assignment of Error No 4:
    {¶ 50} THE CONVICTIONS IN THIS MATTER WERE NOT SUPPORTED BY
    SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.
    {¶ 51} Assignment of Error No. 5:
    {¶ 52} THE CONVICTIONS IN THIS MATTER WERE AGAINST THE MANIFEST
    WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.
    {¶ 53} Conrad argues that the state failed to submit sufficient evidence to support
    the Ross Twp. offenses and that those convictions were also against the manifest weight
    of the evidence. The concept of legal sufficiency of the evidence refers to whether the
    conviction can be supported as a matter of law. State v. Everitt, 12th Dist. Warren No.
    CA2002-07-070, 
    2003-Ohio-2554
    , ¶ 10. In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, an
    appellate court must examine the evidence admitted at trial to determine whether such
    evidence, if believed, would convince the average mind of the defendant's guilt beyond a
    reasonable doubt. The relevant inquiry is whether, after reviewing the evidence in a light
    most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact would have found all the essential
    elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Jenks, 
    61 Ohio St.3d 259
     (1991), paragraph two of the syllabus.
    {¶ 54} To determine whether a conviction is against the manifest weight of the
    evidence, a reviewing court must look at the entire record, weigh the evidence and all
    reasonable inferences, consider the credibility of the witnesses, and determine whether in
    resolving the conflicts in the evidence, the trier of fact clearly lost its way and created such
    a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction must be reversed and a new trial
    - 12 -
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    ordered. State v. Bradbury, 12th Dist. Butler No. CA2015-06-111, 
    2016-Ohio-5091
    , ¶ 17.
    An appellate court will overturn a conviction due to the manifest weight of the evidence only
    in extraordinary circumstances when the evidence presented at trial weighs heavily in favor
    of acquittal. Id. at ¶ 18.
    {¶ 55} With respect to the sexual imposition offense, Conrad contends that there was
    no corroborating evidence admitted at trial. Pursuant to R.C. 2907.06(B), "[n]o person shall
    be convicted of a violation of [sexual imposition] solely upon the victim's testimony
    unsupported by other evidence." The Ohio Supreme Court has examined the corroboration
    requirement of R.C. 2907.06(B) and held that the statute "does not mandate proof of the
    facts which are the very substance of the crime charged * * *." State v. Economo, 
    76 Ohio St.3d 56
    , 59 (1996). Further, the Court found that the corroborating evidence necessary to
    satisfy R.C. 2907.06(B) need not be independently sufficient to convict the accused, and it
    need not go to every essential element of the crime charged. Id. at 60. Slight circumstances
    or evidence that tends to support the victim's testimony is satisfactory. Id.
    {¶ 56} Conrad argues that the only corroborative evidence was O.'s testimony, which
    was derived from hearsay statements made by S. to O. Upon review, this court finds that
    the record contains sufficient corroborating evidence to support the sexual imposition
    charge. Conrad engaged in secret communications with S. for over five months, repeatedly
    attempting to lure her away with him. O. heard one of these attempts when S. put Conrad
    on speaker phone during a sleepover. S. was able to lead police to the Ross home and
    police independently verified her description of the exterior and interior floor plan of the
    house. S.'s account of the text message and phone calls arranging the meeting to travel to
    the Ross home was also verified by the cellular phone records entered into evidence.
    Finally, S. reported the alleged offense to O. shortly after it occurred. Consequently, the
    record contains corroborating evidence necessary to satisfy the requirement under R.C.
    - 13 -
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    2907.06(B).
    {¶ 57} Regarding the weight of the evidence, Conrad argues that the court lost its
    way in finding S. unreliable on the sexual battery count but credible as to the Ross Twp.
    offenses. The trial court, in acquitting Conrad of the sexual battery charge, noted its
    concerns with inconsistencies in S.'s statements to police and the possibly suggestive
    interviewing method used by the police. For those reasons, the court concluded that the
    state had not met its burden of proof with respect to the sexual battery count. However, the
    trial court sitting as factfinder is free to believe all, some, or none of the testimony presented.
    State v. Erickson, 12th Dist. Warren No. CA2014-10-131, 
    2015-Ohio-2086
    , ¶ 42. Here, the
    court did not have the same concerns with respect to the sexual imposition offense and the
    weight of the evidence supports its determination. The trial court is in a better position that
    this court to gauge witness credibility and there is nothing in the record that would make
    this court question the verdict.     As discussed above, there was substantial evidence
    corroborating the victim's claims as to the sexual imposition charge.
    {¶ 58} With regard to the contributing to the unruliness of a child charge, Conrad
    argues that the state failed to put on evidence that S. was being unruly, i.e., that there was
    no evidence that she understood she was breaking rules, that she did not lie to her parents,
    and that there was no evidence that Conrad knew he was breaking S.'s parents' rules. This
    argument is meritless. S.'s mother testified that S. would not have been allowed to spend
    time alone, out of school, with an adult male teacher. S. testified that she lied to her parents
    to meet with Conrad. Conrad acknowledged the wrongfulness of his conduct by arranging
    to meet S. in places that would prevent S.'s parents from learning about their inappropriate
    relationship. Conrad's conviction for contributing to the unruliness of a child is supported
    by sufficient evidence and the greater weight of the evidence.
    {¶ 59} Based on the foregoing, Conrad's convictions for the Ross Twp. offenses
    - 14 -
    Butler CA2018-01-016
    were supported sufficient credible evidence and the court did not lose its way in finding
    Conrad guilty. This court overrules Conrad's fourth and fifth assignments of error.
    {¶ 60} Judgment affirmed.
    S. POWELL, P.J., and HENDRICKSON, J., concur.
    4
    - 15 -