Former Mayor, a Professed Christian, Pleads Guilty to Raping 4-Y-O Girl
Richard Keenan, 65, a self-professed Christian who served as the mayor of Hubbard, Ohio, for nearly two years could now spend the rest of his life in prison after admitting that he repeatedly raped a young girl he began molesting when she was just 4 years old. He also claimed the child was a "willing participant" in her rape.
The shaken ex-mayor pleaded guilty to 20 counts of sex crimes, including eight counts of rape last Friday, according to NBC4i. He also agreed to serve a life sentence with the eligibility of parole after 10 years, the report said.
Keenan, who had initially denied the charges after he was indicted last summer, had left his community in shock. He was known by many as an upstanding citizen and had proclaimed himself to be a Christian who loved Jesus.
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A report in The Vindicator said Keenan had taken over from former Mayor Arthur Magee who retired in December 2009 due to ill health problems. Keenan was sworn in January 2010 and served out the rest of Magee's term that ended in December 2011.
He told The Vindicator that in addition to his record in politics, he was also bringing Jesus to the office.
"I'm a Christian. Dedicating my life to Jesus has changed my life," he said. "Don't preach it, but live it."
Citing court filings, The Vindicator reported that Keenan's wife, Diana, heard about the assaults from the child and "upon confronting [her husband] about the allegations, [Keenan] responded, 'I did it.'" He reportedly made the admission to his pastor, a social worker, and his brother and sister-in-law as well.
Keenan admission to sexually abusing the child during "group discussions" was made while he was in the ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital psychiatric ward, said The Vindicator. He voluntarily admitted himself into a Warren psychiatric facility after his release from Trumbull and told the social worker "he was feeling suicidal because he had been molesting the child victim for approximately the past two years." During those discussions, he reportedly blamed the girl for initiating the acts and called her a "willing participant."
"I was shocked to hear that, because Ricky was always a, you know, upstanding person and he was the mayor," Stephen Klucher of Hubbard had told WKBN after the arrest.
The abuse is said to have started as early as September 2013, when the girl was 4 years old, and continued until June 2016.
Assistant Prosecutor Gabe Wildman told WKBN that Keenan's guilty plea now saves the child from testifying.
"It gives the victim some closure. Obviously, keeps this young child from having to testify and I think it's a good result given all the facts and circumstances," Wildman said.
He said as a prosecutor, it was his responsibility to do what was in the best interest of the victim and he felt Friday's outcome was in her best interest.
"Not bringing her in here to have to testify in the small courtroom with this man in there as well," Wildman said.
"I think what we've seen today is that they're tough, right? They're tough on everyone. They're tough on the defendant's family, they're tough on the victim's family, and obviously, our concern lies with the victim's family," Wildman said of sexual abuses cases.
The former mayor remains free on bond until his sentencing, which could come in a few weeks.
