Dominic Negron Bound Over for Adult Prosecution on Rape and Gross Sexual Imposition Allegations
ASHLAND, Ohio — Ashland County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher R. Tunnell announced that the Ashland County Juvenile Court has ordered Dominic Negron, 18, of Howard, Ohio, bound over to the General Division of the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas for prosecution as an adult.
The juvenile complaint alleges one count of Rape, a felony of the first degree if committed by an adult, and one count of Gross Sexual Imposition, a felony of the fourth degree if committed by an adult. The alleged offenses occurred on October 2, 2025, when Negron was 17.
Following an amenability hearing on September 24, 2026, Judge Karen DeSanto Kellogg issued a judgment entry on October 21 finding that Negron was not amenable to care or rehabilitation within the juvenile system and that the safety of the community may require adult sanctions. The court concluded that the factors favoring transfer outweighed those against transfer, emphasizing its concern that insufficient time remained to rehabilitate Negron within the juvenile system while reasonably assuring public safety.
Negron, through counsel, previously stipulated that probable cause existed to believe he committed the alleged acts. That stipulation and the bindover decision do not constitute a finding of guilt.
The court ordered the Ashland County Sheriff to transport Negron from the Erie County Juvenile Detention
Center to the Ashland County Jail. A bond hearing will be held Monday, October 26, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. in the General Division of the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas. The Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a motion requesting that Negron be held without bond.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Laura Stanley represented the State in the bindover proceedings.
“I commend Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Laura Stanley for her hard work and dedication in bringing this matter through the bindover process,” said Prosecuting Attorney Christopher R. Tunnell. “I also want to recognize the victim and her family for their courage in standing up and their patience as this case has moved forward. We remain committed to supporting them and pursuing justice as the case proceeds in adult court.”
Negron is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The identity of the alleged victim is being withheld to protect her privacy.
