Visiting judge appointed in civil lawsuit involving convicted Van Wert sex offender

VAN WERT — The Ohio Supreme Court has appointed a visiting judge to preside over a civil lawsuit involving a Van Wert man previously convicted of a sex offense involving a child.

Retired Preble County Judge Stephen Bruns will hear the case against 57-year-old David Bradford. In a July 30 court filing, Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin Burchfield said he could not preside because of a conflict.

The lawsuit was filed July 15 by a neighboring family. The plaintiffs allege Bradford sexually assaulted their young child in 2024. The family members are not being identified to protect the child’s privacy.

Bradford is the husband of Van Wert County Auditor Jamie Bradford, who is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. The complaint alleges the family has experienced severe emotional distress, anxiety and fear and has been unable to peacefully use and enjoy its property since Bradford’s conduct.

No hearing dates have been scheduled.

In January 2025, Bradford pleaded guilty to one count of attempted gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony. Visiting Judge James Brogan sentenced him to five years of community control and ordered him to have no contact with the victim or unsupervised contact with children younger than 13.

Bradford was also classified as a Tier II sex offender, requiring him to register his address twice annually for 25 years. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and court costs.

The case has also drawn attention to Ohio House Bill 102, which would prohibit certain sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of their victims or loitering within 1,000 feet. The proposal passed the Ohio House and is awaiting further consideration in the Senate Judiciary Committee.