Staff photo / Ed Runyan Jonathan D. King, right, is shown in the Mahoning County jail appearing by video during his plea and sentencing hearing in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. At left is his attorney, Nick Cerni.

YOUNGSTOWN — Jonathan D. King, 32, pleaded guilty in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to one count of gross sexual imposition for groping a female mail carrier Sept. 23, 2022, on the city’s West Side.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum this week sentenced King to one year in prison. King is now a tier 1 sex offender, requiring him to register his address with the sheriff’s office where he lives once per year for 15 years.

Kevin Day, Mahoning County assistant prosecutor, said the incident happened while the postal worker was getting into her delivery vehicle. King “ran up to her vehicle, grabbed her and began rubbing himself all over her, grabbing her body … and rubbing his genitals on her.”

Day said King had “no relationship with the victim whatsoever.” The multiple charges were for different parts of the victim that King touched, Day said.

Nick Cerni, King’s attorney, said the charges were for “sexual contact with the breasts.”

The victim spoke to Krichbaum, saying she did not know King and “was just doing my job as a mail lady” when she was “attacked.” She said “This has done so much to me mentally.”

She has sought mental health care and was scared to leave her house “because I was attacked by someone I never met, I never knew.” She said she doesn’t know if she can resume her job as a mail carrier.

King apologized to the victim and said that he was “off my medications” the day of the incident.

In exchange for King’s guilty plea to one count of gross sexual imposition, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a second count.

erunyan@vindy.com