BREAKING: Ashland County Jury Finds Robert Michalski Jr. Guilty on Three Charges in Child Abuse and Pitbull Attack Case
ASHLAND, OH — A jury in Ashland County Common Pleas Court has returned a mixed verdict in the high-profile trial of Robert Michalski Jr., one of three adults charged in connection with a horrific August 2024 incident in which a 6-year-old boy was handcuffed and mauled by a Pitbull in Savannah, Ohio.
The verdict was delivered approximately two hours ago, concluding a weeklong trial presided over by Judge David R. Stimpert. Prosecutors from the Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office, led by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Metcalf, presented seven felony charges against Michalski. The jury found him guilty on three counts, and not guilty on four others.
The Verdicts:
Count 1: Kidnapping (F1) — Not Guilty
Count 2: Complicity in the Commission of an Offense (F2) — Not Guilty
Count 3: Complicity in the Commission of an Offense (F3) — Not Guilty
Count 4: Complicity in the Commission of an Offense (F3) — Guilty
Count 5: Complicity in the Commission of an Offense (F3) — Guilty
Count 6: Tampering with Evidence (F3) — Guilty
Count 7: Possessing Criminal Tools (F5) — Not Guilty
The case stems from a disturbing scene that unfolded on August 17, 2024, at a home on Chapel Street in Savannah. Ashland County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a vicious dog attack. When first responders arrived, they discovered a 6-year-old boy suffering from critical injuries to his neck and ear. He had been restrained with handcuffs on both his hands and ankles before being attacked by a Pitbull.
The child was airlifted for emergency medical treatment and ultimately survived the ordeal.
According to then, Ashland County Chief Deputy David Blake, investigators later uncovered evidence suggesting that the child had been handcuffed prior to the attack. A search warrant executed on August 19, 2024, led authorities to Michalski and the Pitbull—both hiding in a cubbyhole in the house’s upper level.
The Pitbull, owned by Michalski, was seized and has since been classified as a vicious dog.
Michalski, along with the child’s mother Angelina Williams, and her boyfriend Taylor Desiree Marvin-Brown, were arrested in connection with the incident. Authorities allege all three adults played a role in restraining the boy and failing to prevent the attack.
A sentencing date for Robert Michalski Jr. has been set for July. He remains in custody pending further proceedings.
This case has sparked widespread outrage across Ashland County, both for the shocking nature of the abuse and the delay in emergency medical attention resulting from the child’s restraints.
More updates will be provided as the case continues through the court system.
