Zanesville Man Sentenced in Sexual Assault Case

A Zanesville man convicted by jurors of sexually assaulting two girls over the course of five years received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole until 41 years.

The sentence handed down by Judge Kelly Cottrill ensures that 62-year-old Walter Lewis will not re-offend as he will be over 100-years-old when he first becomes eligible for parole.

Lewis was found guilty in June by jurors on three counts of rape and six counts of gross sexual imposition.

In this case, the assaults were investigated by law enforcement after a friend of the victims overheard a phone conversation between Lewis and one of the victims in which the girl mentioned being sexually assaulted by the defendant.