LISBON, Ohio – A jury consisting of seven women and five men swiftly reached a verdict on Tuesday, finding Stetson Yost guilty of rape and gross sexual imposition involving a child under the age of 13. The jurors deliberated for only 45 minutes before delivering their decision. Yost, 34, of Chester, West Virginia, denied sexually assaulting the victim but his own words, displayed on a screen, proved damning in court.
During the trial in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, Assistant Prosecutor Steve Yacovone revealed a letter written by Yost to the victim. “In my own weakness and twisted ways, I took advantage of you,” Yost wrote. The prosecutor also read other parts of the letter, which included Yost acknowledging his monstrous actions and expressing remorse for ruining everything.
The victim testified that the inappropriate touching began when she was 10 years old, leading up to the incident that resulted in the rape charge. The jury heard two days of testimony, including from Yost himself, before reaching their verdict. Yost’s defense attorney, Paul Conn, had him read portions of the letter during testimony, although he omitted the part where Yost admitted to being a monster.
The jury’s guilty verdict carries severe consequences for Yost. Judge Scott Washam scheduled his sentencing for April 11, where he could face life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years for the first-degree felony rape charge. Additionally, Yost could receive five years for the third-degree felony gross sexual imposition charge.
Following the verdict, Yost was taken into custody immediately, having previously been out on bond. A family member could be heard crying as Yost was led away. The trial had been ongoing since Yost’s indictment in January 2023. The charges stem from sexual conduct and contact with the child that allegedly occurred between April 2017 and December 2019, when the victim was 10 years old.
Throughout the trial, the defense attempted to cast doubt on the victim’s testimony and the letter written by Yost. Conn argued that the allegations had spiraled out of control and that the victim simply wanted Yost out of the house. However, the prosecution highlighted the consistency of the victim’s statements, both in court and during an interview with the Child Advocacy Center. Yacovone emphasized that the victim had no motivation to fabricate the allegations and insisted that Yost had the motivation to hide the truth.
With the guilty verdict, the victim and her family hope that they have achieved justice after enduring four years since last seeing the defendant. Yost’s sentencing will bring a close to this difficult and emotional chapter while providing closure and a sense of safety for the victim and her family.