BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON -- A former Little League coach accused of giving a 16-year-old girl drugs and money to induce her to have sex with him and to pose naked for photos pleaded guilty Tuesday to 15 criminal charges.
One day before his trial was scheduled to begin in Butler County Common Pleas Court, Thomas Oswald entered a plea bargain that could send him to prison for as long as 18 years.
Mr. Oswald pleaded guilty to attempted compelling of prostitution, two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, possession of marijuana, three counts of corrupting another with drugs,possession of sexually oriented material involving a minor,three counts of permitting drug abuse, attempted endangering of children and possession of unauthorized cable TV devices.
In another case, he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and possession of cocaine.
Mike Shank, Mr. Oswald's attorney, said his client decided to enter a plea primarily to avoid the emotional torture of a trial. "Tom is a well-respected businessman. He was concerned about putting a lot of people through a trial."
Mr. Oswald, 46, of Hamilton, is in the remodeling business. He will be sentenced Feb. 1 on 13 charges by Judge Patricia Oney, who will take over the seat of Judge Moser, who is retiring.
He will be sentenced Feb. 2 on the charges of receiving stolen property and possession of cocaine by Judge Matthew Crehan. A charge of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia was dropped and two other charges were reduced, said assistant county prosecutor Dan Gattermeyer.
The victim, now 17, agreed with the plea bargain, he said. In a search of Mr. Oswald's home, police said they found videotapes and about 200 photos of naked people, including the girl, sometimes engaging in sex.
