FPS staff report
June 5, 2008

A former Carroll County sheriff’s deputy, who was indicted in September 2007 on a 4th degree felony sex charge, has entered a guilty plea to a reduced misdemeanor violation.

Ronnie L. Clapper Jr., 20, of 9740 Stump Rd., Minerva, has withdrawn a former not guilty plea to an indictment returned Sept. 4, 2007, charging him with unlawful sexual contact with a minor and has entered a guilty plea to a charge of contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a minor, a 1st degree misdemeanor.

Subsequently, Clapper was sentenced by Carroll County Common Pleas Court Judge Dominick E. Olivito Jr. to 90 days in jail and assessed a $250 fine and all court costs generated by his prosecution.

However, the sentence was suspended by Judge Olivito and Clapper has been placed on a three-year probation on 19 conditions, which include that he pay a $250 fine and all court costs within six months and perform 80 hours of community service. Clapper was also ordered to complete a mental health assessment and have no contact with the victim, who at the time was a 15-year-old girl.

According to Carroll County Sheriff Dale R. Williams, Clapper has resigned from his deputy sheriff’s position July 10, 2007.