Caleb Flynn appeared in Miami County Common Pleas Court today for a hearing on his responsibilities under Ohio's Sierah's Law, which requires violent offenders to register with local authorities. The Tipp City man was convicted Tuesday of murdering his wife Ashley in February. Judge Pratt presided over the pre-sentencing proceeding, which included defense attorneys Mulligan and Smith and a prosecutor. Flynn's formal sentencing is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 5, at 3 p.m.
Flynn's defense team has indicated plans to appeal the murder conviction, though the specific grounds have not been disclosed.
Sierah's Law, enacted in 2019, created a statewide database maintained by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Those convicted of aggravated murder, murder, or voluntary manslaughter must register annually with their local sheriff's office for 10 years after release from prison. Registered offenders must report any address change to the database within three days. More than 6,000 offenders have been registered under the law to date.
The law is named for Sierah Joughin, a 20-year-old abducted and murdered in 2016 by someone with a history of violent offenses. Law enforcement uses the database internally, and citizens can request records at their local sheriff's office.
Lawmakers are working to expand the law to include additional offenses, such as second-degree felony strangulation, and to make violent offender records publicly accessible online rather than requiring in-person requests at sheriff's offices.
