Jury Convicts Knox Man of Sex Offenses Against Children

| March 28, 2018


CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – A jury of eight men and four women on Tuesday found a Knox man guilty on all counts related to the sexual abuse of three children.

In the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas, Chad Aaron Renninger, 34, of Knox, was found guilty of 41 counts, including:

– Indecent Assault – Person Less Than 13 Years of Age, Felony 3 (17 counts)

– Indecent Assault – Person Less Than 16 Years of Age, Misdemeanor 2 (17 counts)

– Corruption of Minors, Felony 3 (two counts)

– Criminal Attempt – Invasion of Privacy – photograph, view, etc. intimate parts of other person, Misdemeanor 2 (five counts)

Renninger showed no emotion as the jury foreman said “guilty” after reading each charge.

After Assistant District Attorney Drew Welsh requested that Renninger’s bail be revoked,  Renninger’s attorney, Blair Hindman, requested his client be allowed to remain free.

Hindman mentioned Renninger’s panic attacks, that he still lives with his mother and also believed his client is virtually no threat to try and escape.

However, Welsh argued that since Renninger lives in close proximity to one of the victims, he should be placed back in jail, and President Judge James Arner agreed.

Renninger was allowed to hug his mother, Cindy, and another family member before Clarion County Sheriff Rex Munsee and deputies handcuffed him and took him outside to a patrol car for transport to the Clarion County Jail.

Family members and the three victims exchanged handshakes and hugs with ADA Welsh and State Trooper Rodney Hotchkiss after the verdicts were delivered.

“Those three kids got justice today, and we’re happy with the outcome,” Trooper Hotchkiss said.

Jurors began their deliberations shortly after 10:30 a.m. before stopping for a brief lunch break and returning at 2:15.

Both attorneys, Drew Welsh, for the prosecution, and Blair Hindman, for the defense, gave persuasive arguments.

Hindman, with only Reddinger’s mother, Cindy, testifying on his behalf, zeroed in on the numerous inconsistencies the three young victims gave during their interviews with Clarion-based State Trooper Rodney Hotchkiss.

“I’ve heard police say ‘Why would these kids lie?’” Hindman said. “Well, why do kids call in threatening school shootings?”

“I don’t know, but they still do it,” Hindman said.

He also argued that the prosecution hadn’t offered evidence to convict Reddinger.

“There was no scientific evidence, no medical evidence, nothing with the electronic devices,” Hindman said. “Then, there’s the time period when Chad was married, from 2009 to 2014, when these children said nothing happened.”

“Do you really believe that someone who would do this, would just stop?”

Clarion County Assistant District Attorney Drew Welsh’s arguments were also simple.

“Using your common sense, you wouldn’t expect to have medical or other physical evidence for crimes that occurred years ago, and the defendant had a head start on police in terms of the videotaping.”

“He was in that house in Virginia Beach, and he knew it was all going to come out and that Trooper Rodney Hotchkiss would soon be knocking on his door,” Welsh said.

“He had time to erase his computer.”

Welsh also addressed the issue of the juveniles’ testimonies.

“Who do I believe? Who do I find credible? You’re dealing with children who were five, six, seven, eight years old when these things happened, and you’re expecting them to remember everything as teenagers, years later?” Welsh asked rhetorically.

“And, what do these three kids have to gain through this? They have no motive to lie,” Welsh said.

“They get to talk to Trooper Hotchkiss about this; they get to talk to someone in the DA’s office about this; they get questioned by Mr. Hindman, who basically calls them liars; then they get to get up on the witness stand and share all of this with the jury and anyone sitting in the courtroom.”

“How would you feel if I asked each of you (the jurors) to get up on the stand and describe your last sexual experience?” Welsh added.

Clearly, the jury found Welsh’s arguments more persuasive.

Renninger will face decades behind bars for the guilty verdicts.

He also faces a preliminary hearing on April 24 for other alleged sexual offenses against juveniles more than 20 years ago.

Sentencing is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 25.


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