OTTAWA — A Cloverdale man is set to face sentencing this November after reaching a plea agreement this month in Putnam County Common Pleas Court, where he pleaded guilty to several sex-related charges. Daniel Kemper, 49, of Cloverdale, accepted a deal offered by county prosecutors on September 21. This agreement led to Kemper entering guilty pleas for multiple serious felony offenses, according to official court proceedings in Ottawa.
Specifically, Kemper pleaded guilty to two counts of pandering sexually-oriented material. These two charges are classified as felonies of the second degree. In addition to these, Kemper also pleaded guilty to one count of pandering that was amended to a fourth-degree felony. As a direct consequence of this plea arrangement, a significant portion of the original charges against Kemper were dismissed. Ten other counts that had been brought against him were officially dropped as part of the understanding between his legal representation and the prosecution.
The sentencing for Kemper has been scheduled for November 2. Before that date, the court has mandated the preparation of a pre-sentence report.
Kemper's legal proceedings began with an indictment issued by a Putnam County grand jury. The grand jury had originally presented a much broader range of accusations. Initially, Kemper was indicted on a total of 12 counts of pandering. Furthermore, the grand jury's indictment also included one count of possession of criminal tools, which is categorized as a fifth-degree felony. The dismissal of ten charges underscores the impact of the recent plea negotiations in reducing the scope of the legal proceedings against him.
The core allegations detailed in the original indictment provided specific insights into the nature of the offenses. According to the indictment, Kemper was accused of engaging in activities involving the creation or distribution of illicit material. Specifically, he was alleged to have photographed or reproduced images that depicted a minor engaged in sexual activity. These alleged acts were not isolated incidents; the indictment asserted that they occurred on at least a dozen separate occasions.
The timeframe for these alleged criminal activities was precisely outlined in the indictment. It stated that these events took place between June 3 and September 18 of the preceding year. This period of just over three months covers the span during which the alleged offenses are said to have occurred. Further details from the indictment specified the method by which some of this material was handled. The legal document alleges that the images in question were downloaded onto a Samsung cellular phone. This particular phone was identified as being owned by Daniel Kemper.
The conclusion of the plea deal means that Kemper admitted guilt to three felony charges, narrowing the focus from the original dozen-plus counts. The impending sentencing will determine the final legal repercussions for the Cloverdale resident following his acknowledgment of responsibility for these offenses within the Putnam County justice system.
