Minerva man sentenced in sex case involving stepdaughter

A 48-year-old Minerva man indicted Jan. 7 on 23 felony charges involving a sexual relationship over a 15-month period in 2024 and 2025 with his 15-year-old stepdaughter has been sentenced to 5 to 7 1/2 years in prison upon conviction of four of the charges.

At a March 18 change of plea hearing, Joshua T. Brady of 100 Weimer St., Minerva, withdrew a former not guilty plea to the 23-count indictment and entered guilty pleas to an amended indictment. He was convicted of one count each of sexual battery, a second-degree felony, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony, and two counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, each a fourth-degree felony.

Upon conviction, Carroll County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael V. Repella II sentenced Brady to a term of five years with a maximum of 7 1/2 years in prison, plus a $5,000 fine due upon his release from prison, and all court costs associated with the case.

The prison sentence is to be served concurrent with terms of 18 months and 12 months imposed on Counts 4 and 5 and 18 months on Count 6.

Brady was given credit for 71 days of jail time against his sentence.

He also was classified as a Tier III sexually oriented offender and is required to report to the sheriff in the county where he resides every 90 days for the remainder of his life.

Commenting on the plea-bargained case, Carroll County Prosecuting Attorney Steven D. Barnett said, “The resolution of the case was done with the full involvement of the victim and her father, who were in agreement with the sentence outcome.”