Girard man convicted of raping two boys

A Trumbull County jury on Feb. 28 found a Girard man guilty of seven rape counts and one gross sexual imposition felony, ending a two-day trial before Common Pleas Judge Cynthia Rice.

Nicholas Clark, 31, will be sentenced March 7 after he undergoes a background investigation. He faces a maximum life-without-parole prison sentence. Clark was convicted of raping two male relatives beginning when they were age 7 and 9 at residences in Girard and Niles.

Both boys, now ages 15 and 13, testified about the years of sexual abuse delivered by Clark who lived with them on two separate occasions, the last time ending in January 2022.

Assistant Prosecutor Diane Barber also called the boys’ parents to the stand along with Niles police detective Capt. John Marshall and a nurse practitioner working for the Child Advocacy Center at Akron’s Children Hospital.

Jurors took a little more than four hours in deliberations.

A handcuffed Clark was taken by sheriff deputies out of the courtroom after the verdict was read by Rice.

Barber said she was pleased with the outcome of the trial.

“This case was hard on both of the victims,” she said. “And we are very satisfied that the jury took the time that they needed to pay close attention to the evidence in the case and render their verdict guilty as charged.”