MANSFIELD, Ohio – A former employee of the city of Mansfield was indicted by the Richland County Grand Jury in April for charges related to a sexual relationship he had with a juvenile.
William Larck, 39, was indicted for three counts of rape, eight counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, four counts of endangering children, five counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, intimidation of an attorney, victim, or witness in a criminal case, three counts of contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child, and menacing by stalking.
According to Richland County Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page, the charges came to light while the prosecutor’s office was investigating Larck for a completely different scenario that he was also indicted for this month, involving charges of theft in office, misuse of a credit card, breaking and entering and theft.
“Mr. Larck had been an employee of the city of Mansfield and had been given the use of a credit card to purchase gasoline on behalf of the city for city vehicles,” said Couch Page. “He was no longer employed with the city at the point that the city realized the credit card was still being used by Mr. Larck.”
Couch Page explained Larck had allegedly used the credit card inappropriately both during and after his employment by buying himself and others gasoline that was not for city use. The purchases totaled more than $1,000 but less than $7,500.
“The breaking and entering involves the fact that when he was employed they had given him the card and he had returned it, but he went back into a building that belonged to the city and took that credit card and began using it again,” said Couch Page.
Couch Page explained that when the charges related to the inappropriate use of the city credit card were published in the media, the second scenario involving the juvenile came to light. She stated the two scenarios don’t overlap, and the discovery of the sexual relationship he had with a minor was accidental.
“The victim of that circumstance is a 16-year-old impaired juvenile,” said Couch Page. “She met [Larck] on Facebook. He began to befriend her and ultimately lured her into meeting him in places that her family had no idea she was going; she was telling them she was going with a friend to the movies or whatever. He instead would take her places and have sex with her. He had taken nude photos of her, and she was sending him nude photos of herself and he was exchanging those photos as well.”
Couch Page stated Larck had allegedly sent the juvenile multiple photos and videos of his genitals, and refused to stop contacting the juvenile after he was advised to stay away.
“It was after his persistence that the family realized what it was that had happened because the girl finally told them that they were in a sexual relationship,” said Couch Page. “They said they were going to be married, but he was married to someone else.”
Couch Page estimated Larck is facing more than 50 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
