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Barnesville man gets 25 to life for rape of a child

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — James Randall Blon of Barnesville will spend at least 25 years in prison for the rape of a child under 10 years of age.

Blon, 32, is a resident of 62820 McMillan Road, Barnesville. According to court records, he was arrested and booked into the Belmont County Jail on March 7, facing 50 criminal charges that included: six counts of first-degree felony rape, two counts of second-degree felony sexual battery, three counts of second-degree felony endangering children, 36 counts of second-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor, one count of third-degree felony possession of drugs and two counts of second-degree misdemeanor sexual conduct with an animal.

Investigation of the case was conducted by detectives with the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department, including Detective Jordan Blumly. They were assisted by the Central Ohio Regional Crime Laboratory and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission as well as the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Computer Crimes Unit.

Blon had been scheduled to go to trial in Belmont County Common Pleas Court before Judge Chris Berhalter on Monday. Instead, he entered a plea agreement in which he pleaded guilty to one county of first-degree felony rape of a child with a specification that the victim was under 13 years of age. All other charges against Blon were dismissed as a result of the plea deal.

The agreement also specified that he would be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

“He will not see a parole board for at least 25 years,” Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said. “And he could possibly spend the rest of his life in prison.”

If he ever is released, he would be designated a Tier III sex offender and required to register with the sheriff of his county of residence once a month for the rest of his life.

According to Flanagan, authorities were alerted that Blon might possess child pornography. Investigators obtained a search warrant as a result.

“We anticipated seizing the (cell) phone and finding child porn,” Flanagan said, noting that investigators also found evidence of molestation of a child known to Blon, leading to the rape charges. Among evidence that would have been presented if the case had gone to trial were videos of child pornography as well as Blon’s confession.

Flanagan commended Assistant Prosecutor Joe Vavra for his work on the case.

“He did a phenomenal job putting the case together,” Flanagan noted.

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