Lewis Center doctor sentenced to 4 years in prison for child pornography

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A Lewis Center man who was found guilty of 80 charges involving child pornography in November was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday in Delaware County Common Pleas Court.

Dr. David Thomas Ryan, 56, of 3725 Wood Stone Drive, Lewis Center, was found guilty of 43 counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor and 37 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, all second-degree felonies, after a three-day trial in Delaware County Common Pleas Court. Prosecutors alleged that Ryan had numerous images and videos of child pornography including images and videos involving children as young as toddlers.

At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Assistant County Prosecutor Mark Sleeper said Ryan had shown no remorse and maintained that he did not download the images. Sleeper said that during the trial Ryan testified that he was innocent and claimed the images were downloaded by a neighbor who was a registered sex offender.

Sleeper dismissed these claims and said the images were downloaded on 15 different occasions over four years and were moved all around Ryan’s computer and flash drives.

“It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Sleeper said, adding that the images and videos in the case were “some of the worst forms of child pornography” he’d ever seen.

Ryan, on the advice of his attorney, Donald Gallick, did not speak in his own defense.

Delaware County Common Pleas Judge Everett Krueger sentenced Ryan to four years in prison for each of the 80 counts, but ordered the sentences be served concurrently. He then suspended the sentence until Ryan’s appeal is completed. Krueger said Ryan would have to surrender his passport and post $350,000 bond with the court. Ryan has 30 days to file his appeal.

Additionally, Krueger told Ryan that he must register as a Tier II sex offender and will face five years of post-release control at the end of his prison term.

Ryan was indicted on Feb. 2 and prosecutors said the indictment came after it was reported that an individual had made email transactions known to contain child pornography. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, investigated the downloading and file sharing of child pornography.

“An investigation began after AOL reported e-mails found to contain child pornography to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” said Delaware County Prosecutor Carol O’Brien. “The nature of the evidence presented is disturbing and vile and date back to 2012 and continued until he was arrested in August of 2016 when the evidence was seized.”

Several electronic items were seized in a search warrant executed at Ryan’s home. Another search warrant was obtained for an additional electronic item, which was seized at his business, Columbus Chiropractic Center.

Dr. David Ryan of Lewis Center stands next to his attorney, Donald Gallick, to hear his sentence Wednesday afternoon in Delaware County Common Pleas Court.
http://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/12/web1_DSC_1037.jpgDr. David Ryan of Lewis Center stands next to his attorney, Donald Gallick, to hear his sentence Wednesday afternoon in Delaware County Common Pleas Court. Glenn Battishill | The Gazette
Doctor sentenced in child pornography case

By Glenn Battishill

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Contact Glenn Battishill at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

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