BRANCH COUNTY — A judge decided the severity of the crime warranted jail time for a Coldwater man who pleaded guilty to abusing a 16-year-old girl.
A pre-sentence recommendation called for probation and no jail time for 55-year-old David Swartout after he pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree child abuse.
Branch County Prosecutor Zack Stempien, however, asked Circuit Judge Bill O’Grady to look at what happened to the victim in October 2021 and before.
O’Grady agreed and sentenced Swartout to three years’ probation and a year in the county jail. Swartout faced up to 2-5 years in prison.
Conduct toward the victim occurred over several years in Union City. The girl obtained a personal protection order against him.
“The defendant admits at different times, he would take her things and hide them out in his shed,” Stempien said. “He would take her clothes and hide them out there. He would take the family food and hide it out there to try to get what he wanted. That shows a level of power and control over the victims.”
Swartout even called the police to report the victim was breaking into his property when she tried to get the items back.
The victim wrote the court, “When he was strangling me, I truly thought he was going to kill me, which absolutely scared me. With a protection order in place, he still continues to stalk me, my mom and my sister. I can’t even take my 4-month-old puppy for a walk.”
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The girl said she trusted Swartout.
“I hope one day he will understand … he betrayed me and my trust by hurting me.”
The girl said she hopes to make a career helping others who went through what she did.
Swartout said only, “I feel remorseful for what I did.”
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.