78-year-old rapist from Warren gets 25 years to-life prison sentence

A 78-year-old Warren man received a life prison sentence with the first chance of parole after serving 25 years on Thursday.

Jose Gaetan was convicted Jan. 30 by a Trumbull County jury on seven felony charges connected to an assault of a 10-year-old female relative.

During the sentencing hearing, Common Pleas Judge Ronald J. Rice told the defendant he displayed a textbook behavior of a sexual predator in declaring Gaetan a Tier 3 sexual offender which requires a lifetime registration.

Gaetan was found guilty of two counts of rape and five counts of gross sexual imposition. The father of the victim read prepared statements from his wife and his daughter, quoting scripture in addressing the defendant.

“One day you will leave this world,” he said. “Look for God to clean you and heal you.”

Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Gabe Wildman said he was pleased with the jurors’ decision, saying it was the young victim’s testimony that was especially convincing.

“Ultimately, the victim in this case is the reason we were able to obtain a conviction, she showed incredible courage taking the stand to tell the truth about what this man did to her,” Wildman said.

In closing, Wildman told of how the defendant had groomed the victim that began with him showering with the girl at an age as young as 5.

Wildman praised the investigative efforts of the Warren police detective Nick Carney and the Child Assault Unit at Akron Children’s Hospital’s Boardman campus. Wildman said his office will continue to stand up for victims of sexual abuse, aggressively prosecuting the perpetrators.