BG man indicted on nine counts of sexual offenses with juvenile – BG Independent News

BG man indicted on nine counts of sexual offenses with juvenile – BG Independent News

A Bowling Green man was arrested last week after being indicted by a Wood County Grand Jury for nine counts of sexual offenses against a juvenile family member. Matthew Rava, 33, was lodged in Wood County Jail, but has since been released on $50,000 bond. He was indicted on the following charges: Three counts of sexual battery, a fourth degree felony, from May 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, caused a juvenile to engage in sexual activity with him. Fourth count of sexual battery, on or about Feb. 7-9, 2026, engaged in sexual activity with a juvenile. Fifth count of sexual battery, on or about March 1-31, 2026, engaged in sexual activity with a juvenile. One count of grooming, a fifth degree felony, from May 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, engaged in a pattern of conduct with a minor younger than 13 years old, “when the pattern of conduct would cause a reasonable adult person to believe that he was communicating with the victim with purpose to entice, coerce, or solicit the victim to engage in sexual activity, and when his purpose in engaging in the pattern of conduct was to entice, coerce, or solicit the victim to engage in sexual activity with him.” One count of rape, a first degree felony, on or about Aug. 1, 2020, through July 17, 2021, engaged in sexual conduct with juvenile who was 8 years old. Second count of rape, on or about July 18, 2021, through July 17, 2022, engaged in sexual conduct with juvenile who was 9 years old. Third count of rape, on or about July 18, 2022, through June 9, 2023, engaged in sexual conduct with juvenile who was 10 years old. Rava is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Aug. 20, at 9:30 a.m., before Wood County Common Pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman. Wood County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brian Boos, who is handling this case, said Friday evening that the investigation into Rava’s charges was a collaborative effort by the Bowling Green Police Division and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, since some of the alleged incidents occurred in the city and some outside in the city limits.