Van Wert County Man Sentenced on Four Felony Sex-Offense Counts

A Van Wert County man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to four felony counts involving obscene material depicting minors.

Thomas R. Burgoon appeared for sentencing Wednesday, August 5, in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court. Court records show Burgoon pleaded guilty in June to four counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, each a fourth-degree felony. The court accepted the guilty pleas and ordered a presentence investigation before sentencing.

Burgoon had originally been indicted on 12 felony counts. The indictment alleged the offenses occurred between October 2024 and February 2025 in Van Wert County. The first six counts charged pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, while the remaining six charged pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person.

As part of the resolution of the case, prosecutors dismissed counts five through 12.

Judge Martin Burchfield sentenced Burgoon to five years of community control and ordered him to serve 30 days in the Van Wert County Jail at a date and time to be determined by his probation officer. He was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.

Additional conditions require Burgoon to undergo a mental-health assessment and complete any recommended treatment. Probation officers or designated law enforcement officers will also have access to electronic devices he is permitted to operate.

The court classified Burgoon as a Tier II sex offender. He will be required to comply with registration requirements for 25 years, including in-person verification every 180 days.

Court records show Burgoon was born in 1982 and had only a traffic record before the case. The court also noted that a mandatory prison term was not required for the offenses.