MANSFIELD — Electronic devices were initially seized in April from the home of an alleged child pornographer, two months before the 28-year-old Mansfield man was arrested and charged with trying to use the internet to seek sex with an 8-year-old girl.
Nearly half of the child pornography charges against Bryce Witchey date back to images from April 2023, according to an indictment returned this week by a Richland County grand jury.
The 28-year-old Witchey was arraigned on 31 felony charges Friday afternoon in Richland County Common Pleas Court before Magistrate Jill Cochran.
Through defense attorney Lore Whitney, Witchey pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, including an allegation the Mansfield man used the internet to seek sex with an 8-year-old girl two months ago.
A pretrial date before Judge Brent Robinson was scheduled for Monday at 9 a.m. A trial date of Sept. 5 was also scheduled.
Witchey, arrested by Mansfield police on that attempted importuning charge in the early morning hours of June 14, remains in the Richland County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
On Friday, Cochran also ordered Witchey have no contact with victims; no contact with minors; and no contact with any females outside of his immediate family, jail staff or attorney.
He also cannot used tablets, cell phones, smart watches, computers or any electronic devices that connect to the internet or takes photographs.
If he posts bond, Witchey will be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring, the magistrate said.
When Cochran announced the restrictions, she asked Witchey if he understood.
“Yes, your honor,” said Witchey, who participated in the arraignment via a video connection from the county jail.
During the arraignment, Richland County Prosecutor Jodie Schumacher pointed out multiple electronic devices were recovered from Witchey’s home on the city’s south side.
“I would let the court know that his (electronic) devices were seized in April,” the prosecutor said, a clear indication there was an ongoing investigation into Witchey before his arrest in June.
“We were back at the residence in June and seized additional electronic devices.
“We learned that there were additional electronic devices on their way (to Witchey) having just recently been purchased. So I think it’s important for the court to be aware that he has no contact or access to those (new devices),” Schumacher said.
(Below is a PDF of the 31-count indictment against Bryce Witchey returned by a Richland County grand jury.)
According to the indictment, 14 counts of “illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance” are from April 7, 2023.
In those felonies, Witchey is charged under Ohio Revised Code 2907.323 for “illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance.”
According to that law, “no person shall … photograph any minor or impaired person who is not the person’s child or ward in a state of nudity, or create, direct, produce, or transfer any material or performance that shows the minor or impaired person in a state of nudity” without the written consent of the individual’s parents, guardian or custodian.
One count on the same charge is from Feb. 19, 2024. All 15 of those are second-degree felonies, each carrying a prison sentence of two to eight years if convicted.
He is also charged with 15 counts of “possessing or view any material or performance that shows a minor or impaired person who is not the person’s child or ward in a state of nudity, unless the person knows that the minor’s or impaired person’s parents, guardian, or custodian has consented in writing to the photographing or use of the minor or impaired person in a state of nudity and to the manner in which the material or performance is used or transferred.”
Those allegations stem from April 18, 2024, and are fifth-degree felonies, each carrying a maximum of one year in prison. He was indicted on one count of the same offense on an allegation dated June 13, 2024.
The attempted importuning charge is also from June 13, a fourth-degree felony with a maximum imprisonment of 18 months.
During Witchey’s initial arrest, according to Mansfield Police Department records and a 9-1-1 call, a woman told police a man was talking to her on social media and wanted to have sex with her daughter.
She said it was happening even as she called police, using an Instagram profile. The woman said she was recording the on-screen conversation, but didn’t know the suspect’s actual name.
According to the police report, officers went to the mother’s house and Witchey was identified during their investigation.
“Screenshot and screen recordings were collected (from the mother) via email. A (arrest) warrant was prepared and sent … for review,” the report said.
When officers went to arrest Witchey at his home on the city’s south side on June 14 at 3:38 a.m., he was also charged with misdemeanor counts of obstructing official business and resisting arrest, according to the police report.
Officers said Witchey tried to back away “and attempted to pull his arms away.”
“(Witchey) was advised he was under arrest, but continued to resist officers. After a short struggle and (Witchey) going to the ground, he was placed under arrest,” the police report said.
