Lynchburg man indicted on 73 counts in Warren County

A Warren County grand jury this week handed down a 73-count indictment against a Lynchburg man, with the charges related to alleged sex crimes, as reported by the Dayton Daily News.

Steven Reese Barnes, 43, was indicted on 70 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person, a second-degree felony; two counts of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony; and one count of public indecency, a first-degree misdemeanor.

According to the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office’s grand jury report, it is alleged that between August 2023 and February 2024, Barnes “had sexual contact with a minor under the age of 13.” It is further alleged from February through November 2023, Barnes “reproduced images of children engaged in sexual activity by downloading those images onto his electronic device.”

The crimes are alleged to have occurred in the city of Springboro.

An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt.

The Dayton Daily News' article can be viewed at: https://www.daytondailynews.com/crime/man-accused-of-sexually-abusing-m….

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.