It was a brutal end for Dennis Stopar. The 65-year-old from Flushing, Ohio, has been sentenced to 60 years in prison after being caught sexually exploiting multiple children and possessing child pornography.
Court documents detail Stopar’s sickening crimes between 2022 and 2023. He targeted at least nine minors, both male and female, many of whom were under the foster care of a relative. Stopar made hundreds of videos and images documenting his despicable abuse.
Belmont County Sheriff James G. Zusack and federal agents struck gold in December 2023 when they caught wind of child pornography being uploaded to Dropbox. They found Stopar, already a convicted sex offender, had created child porn involving one of his victims on his phone. Stopar’s devices revealed even more horror: at least seven children were filmed being sexually assaulted by him.
Stopar’s previous conviction was for raping a victim from age 6 to 16. He pleaded guilty in December 2024, facing the severe punishment handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
The justice system delivered a powerful message with Stopar’s sentence, but the pain and suffering he caused will linger for years to come. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch represented the United States in this case, along with the U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris and FBI Special Agent Elena Iatarola.
Belmont County’s community has been rocked by Stopar’s actions, but justice has finally been served. The sentence sends a chilling warning to predators that their crimes will not be tolerated.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
