Cincinnati man facing 17 rape counts ‘facing multiple life sentences’

Butler County Prosecutor said the two dozen sexual abuse counts involved three victims.
The Gavel Sculpture in downtown Columbus sits in the reflecting pool alongside the Ohio Supreme Court building.

The Gavel Sculpture in downtown Columbus sits in the reflecting pool alongside the Ohio Supreme Court building.

Following a multi-year investigation, a Cincinnati man has been indicted by a Butler County grand jury on two dozen felony counts, including 17 counts of rape that involve three children, authorities said.

Antwon W. Burns, 41, who lives in the Cincinnati suburb of Forest Park, was directly indicted by a Butler County grand jury this week, according to a report released late Friday afternoon. In addition to the counts of rape, Burns was also indicted on four counts of gross sexual imposition and three counts of intimidation.

Antwon W. Burns, 41, was indicted on Friday, March 7, 2025, on two dozen felony counts, including 17 counts of rape, many of which may involve a child or children. PROVIDED

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Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser wouldn’t comment on the ages or genders of the victims. He did say it involves three victims.

Burns will be arraigned next week, though a date has not been set as of Friday afternoon, in Butler County Common Pleas Judge Greg Howard.

If Burns is found guilty on certain charges, he could be in jail for the rest of his life, Gmoser said.

“The allegations are so serious that he is facing multiple life sentences for the conduct that’s alleged in this case,” he said.

The prosecutor said one of the first allegations, some more than 15 years ago, occurred in Hamilton County, and “there are no statute of limitations issues in this case.”

Burns' alleged crimes range from 2009 to 2023, and most of the rape charges involved a child or children, according to the indictment, as do all four gross sexual imposition charges. Rape is a first-degree felony and gross sexual imposition is a third-degree felony.

The indictment does not indicate who Burns allegedly intimidated, but Ohio law says it is a third-degree felony to intimidate an attorney, victim or witness.

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