An attempt to reach Sanders’ attorney, Jeffrey Hunter, wasn’t successful.
Sanders was previously indicted on six counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor and three counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. Sanders had a court date Monday for the older charges, according to online court records, and a jury trial was scheduled for Sept. 23.
It is unclear how the new charges will affect the older charges. Both cases are active. Sanders is an inmate in the Clark County jail, according to jail records, and has been since April 29 when he was originally arrested.
Springfield Police Division launched their initial investigation into Sanders in early March.
At the time, no charges against Sanders accused him of physically sexually abusing a child. But that changed this week with the new indictments.
“That on or about May 8, 2014, to on or about December 31, 2017, at Clark County, Ohio, Oliver Sanders III did engage in sexual conduct with victim, and the said victim being less than 13 years of age, whether or not the offender knows the age of the other person…” the indictment for the rape charges says.
The indictments also accuse Sanders of having sexually-oriented material involving a child.
“That on or about April 18, 2019, in Clark County Ohio, Oliver Sanders, with knowledge of the character of the material or performance involved, did knowingly solicit, receive, purchase, exchange, possess or control any material that shows a minor participating or engaging in sexual activity, masturbation or bestiality in violation of Ohio Revised Code and against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio,” the indictment says.
An affidavit detailing the police’s investigation into Sanders and how they found evidence to support the newest charges was not filed with the indictment.
According to an affidavit filed with the original case, “On March 21 and March 26, the child victims were interviewed and one of the victims indicated that the defendant, Oliver Sanders, III, showed her an image on his cell phone of child pornography and stated that he said other kids were doing it and that it was normal.”
Sanders was interviewed at the police station April 18, the affidavit says.
“During this interview, Sanders denied having any sexual contact or conduct with either juvenile female,” the affidavit says. “(A detective) then asked if there was anything on his phone. He indicated that there was not and signed a consent to search for his cell phone.”
The police department seized his phone, the affidavit says, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office conducted an extraction on the phone.
“(A detective) examined the extraction and found 10 videos containing juvenile children under the ages of 10 engaging in sex acts and focused nudity,” the affidavit says. “There was also over 350 images tagged on his phone which contained juvenile children under the age of 10 engaging in sex acts and focused nudity.”
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