Dayton doctor faces 145 child porn charges
Dayton Children’s Hospital officials said they are shocked.
A well-known Dayton psychologist who for years was a leading voice on issues of child endangerment and exploitation was arrested Thursday on more than 140 charges related to child pornography.
Dr. Greg Ramey, a former longtime Dayton Children’s Hospital employee, was charged with 145 criminal counts, according to a grand jury indictment unsealed in Greene County.
Ramey, 70, of Beavercreek, was booked into the Greene County Jail on Thursday morning. Bond was set at $500,000, according to the Greene County Clerk of Courts.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office is serving as special prosecutor on the case.
“This egre g ious a buse of the patients’ trust, not to mention the public’s trust, from a doctor is gut-wrenchingly horrible,” said Yost in a written statement. “Young children are innocent, sweet and trusting – vulnerably fragile and in need of special protection.”
In an interview with the Dayton Daily News, Yost said “We are talking about multiple children, more than 40 (victims.)” The images do not appear to be generated from his practice, he added.
Dayton Children’s Hospital, where Ramey worked from 1979 until his termination Aug. 16, 2019, cooperated with investigators, Yost said.
The hospital issued a statement about Ramey that said in part: “...we were blindsided by
the allegations of inappropriate behavior in his personal life. Nothing in the performance of his professional role created any suspicions. We are shocked and deeply troubled by these allegations, which are in stark contrast to our mission and core values. To be clear, the charges do not include any activity at Dayton Children’s, nor was any inappropriate material found on or accessed via Dayton Children’s devices.”
Ramey had served as executive director for pediatric mental health resources at Dayton Children’s.
The hospital added: “We are relentless advocates of protecting our most vulnerable population. There is simply no place for any behavior that exploits children. We will continue to work diligently on that front.”
An indictment filed in Greene County Common Pleas Court charges Ramey with 145 felony counts:
■ Illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, a second-degree felony, counts 1-90;
■ Pandering obscenity involving a minor, a fourth-degree felony, counts 91-117;
■ Attempted pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, a fifth-degree felony, counts 118-142;
■ Tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, counts 143-145.
An indictment is an accusation that prosecutors must prove in court.
Ramey was identified as the source of electronic downloads of child pornography and Ramey’s activity was reported to the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to the AG’s office.
The indictment alleges that between Jan. 1, 2012 and July 29, 2019, Ramey photographed or transferred photos of nude minors, bought or possessed obscene material and attempted to buy obscene material. From
July 1, 2019 to Aug. 8, 2019, Ramey knew of the investigation and tried to alter, destroy or hide evidence, the indictment alleges.
Yost said pedophiles often trade child pornography over the Internet via the dark web and/or overseas websites.
The complaint was handled by the Ohio Attorney General’s office after Greene County Stephen Haller referred a complaint involving Ramey to the AG due to a conflict of interest issue.
Haller’s office works closely with Dayton Children’s and Michael’s House, a Fairborn-based nonprofit that provides treatment and works as a liaison for children who may be crime victims. Michael’s House declined to comment on Ramey’s indictment and referred questions to Dayton Children’s.
Beavercreek police visited Ramey’s home July 31 but the police report didn’t disclose the reason.
Greene County property records indicate Ramey owns a $305,550 home on Freedom Pointe. A sale of the property for $399,000 is pending.
The pediatric psychologist was one of the public faces of Dayton Children’s, writing a weekly parenting column in the Dayton Daily News that was distributed on the New York Times wire service, and making frequent appearances in local and outside media.
He holds a doctoral degree in psychology from University of Massachusetts Amherst, according to his LinkedIn page. State records show he has held a psychologist license in Ohio since Dec. 6, 1980. His license is still active, according to the state license website, and no board action has been taken on it.
Ohio Board of Psychology Director Ronald Ross said licenses can be revoked upon conviction of any felony or any crime involving moral turpitude. The agency also has summary suspension authority under some circumstances.
“It’s just shocking. God. It’s unbelievable,” Ross said on Thursday. “We are determining our legal options, given there’s not yet been a conviction but the allegations are shocking.”