PICKAWAY – A man arrested and charged with rape and other sex crimes will stand trial this week for his charges in Pickaway County, this is not the only area where he will face similar charges.
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman stated that his office has currently been working jointly with the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbus Police Department on several cases involving children being sexually assaulted.
The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office was contacted on February 17, 2021 by a third party, reporting that several people had been sexually assaulted. The sexual assaults were reported to have occurred in Scioto, Pickaway and Franklin Counties.
Lt. Johnathan Strawser, Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, and Detective Jodi Conkel, Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, worked jointly on the investigation. The joint investigation resulted in an arrest warrant being issued in Scioto County.
On April 13, 2021 the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Police Department, along with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at the suspects residence located at 2630 Kingston Pike Circleville Ohio. The suspect was arrested on the Scioto County charges and taken to the Pickaway County Jail, where the suspect waived his rights and was transported to the Scioto County Jail. During the search of the suspect’s residence, Grashel was found to be in possession of numerous images and videos that contain child pornography.
Arrested was Michael Grashel, age 53, of 2630 Kingston Pike Circleville Ohio. Grashel has been charged with 2 counts of rape, a felony of the 1st degree, with the victims being under the age of 13, along with two counts of disseminating matter harmful to a juvenile, a felony of the 5th degree. Grashel is being held in the Scioto County Jail on a one-million-dollar cash bond and will appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Wednesday April 14, 2021.
Sheriff David Thoroughman stated that this is still an ongoing investigation that will result in more charges being presented to the Scioto County Grand Jury on a later date, along with charges in Pickaway County and possibly in Franklin County.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Sgt. Jodi Conkel @ 740-351-1091 or Lt. Johnathan Strawser @ 740-474-2176 all calls will remain anonymous.
