Norwood man sentenced for assault on teen

Admitted to accidental grabbing but denied other charges

MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A 60-yearold Norwood man previously convicted on numerous child sexual assault offenses was sentenced Thursday to six to 14 months in the county jail in Concord.

Kenneth A. Cahill was found guilty of indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old, indecent assault without consent of another, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children following a bench trial before Common Pleas Court Judge Dominic Pileggi in September.

In June 2022 Norwood police spoke to the victim, who stated that Cahill had touched her inappropriately by grabbing her breast, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by Cpl. Christopher Kennedy.

In a subsequent interview at the Delaware County Children’s Advocacy Center, the victim stated that Cahill had grabbed her breast on the outside of her clothing, which made her feel uncomfortable. She said Cahill later told her, “If you don’t stop talking, we will be rolling around on the floor naked.”

The girl described a prior assault in which Cahill put his hand up her dress and rubbed the outside of her vagina with his fingers, then grabbed her breast under her bra. The victim was 13 at the time.

Assistant District Attorney Bryan Barth read a letter from the victim’s mother in court Thursday indicating that the girl suffered from anxiety but is receiving therapy and showing progress.

Barth asked a sentence in the standard range of six to 14 months with five years of consecutive sex offender probation for the three most serious charges. He said that would serve to protect the community.

Defense attorney Michael Dugan noted his client had significant family support and sought a sentence of house arrest, but he made no further argument in court.

Cahill said he had tried to be an upstanding member of the community, conducting fundraisers including riding with a group called “Bikers Against Child Abuse” and holding coat drives for the homeless every year.

He admitted that he accidentally grabbed the victim in one instance and apologized for that, but denied doing anything more.

In addition to jail time, Pileggi sentenced Cahill to serve five years of consecutive sex offender probation and ordered him to register as a sex offender for 25 years under Megan’s Law. Cahill has a March 1 report date to begin his sentence.