Dublin Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Crimes

Local News

If you've driven past that empty stretch on Riverside Drive between John Shields Parkway and Tuller Road and wondered when something was finally going to happen there — Thursday was the day. Dublin's Planning and Zoning Commission approved the Final Development Plan for Bridge North, which means construction starts this year and the first buildings open in 2028.

Here's what's actually coming. A 150-room Tempo by Hilton hotel at the corner of Riverside Drive and Tuller Road — Ohio's first location of this particular Hilton brand. Three residential buildings with 280 apartments. A five-story office building with retail on the ground floor. And a 620-space parking garage with a living green wall along Mooney Street and pedestrian bridges connecting directly into the residential buildings.

The design detail worth knowing about: the center of the whole thing is a terraced plaza on both sides of a shared street where pedestrians and cars are on the same level — no curbs, just pavers. Think of it as an outdoor living room in the middle of the development rather than a road cutting through it.

Two new streets get built as part of this too, extending the walkable grid that Bridge Park started northward all the way to Tuller Road.

The AC Marriott anchors the south end of Bridge Park. The Tempo by Hilton will anchor the north. This confirms that this stretch of Riverside Drive is going to look very different in a couple of years.

Local News

If you've driven past the Rec Center lately and noticed groups of people wandering around with their phones out, looking vaguely purposeful but not actually going anywhere — you're not alone in wondering what's going on.

They're playing Pokémon GO. And this weekend is a big deal for them.

The game turns 10 years old this month — it launched in July 2016 and briefly took over the entire world, with people walking into traffic, trespassing in cemeteries, and showing up at all hours at parks and landmarks chasing digital creatures on their phones. A decade later, the game still has millions of active players, and this weekend is GO Fest Global — the biggest annual event in the game, and this year completely free as a 10th anniversary celebration.

The Rec Center happens to be a popular in-game location — a PokéStop or Gym in game terms — which makes it a natural gathering spot for local players. Same goes for Riverside Crossing Park and a handful of other Dublin landmarks.

If it looks like a scavenger hunt happening in slow motion around your neighborhood this weekend, that's because it essentially is. Ten years in, and they're still out there.

Local News

A Dublin man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to sexually abusing children in both Ohio and Utah. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison — and up to life.

The case has been building since November 2025, when the man was arrested in Utah after being overheard on a sexually explicit call with a minor victim. Dublin Police received a separate report about an Ohio victim shortly after, executed a search warrant at his Dublin home, and seized electronic devices that were turned over to the FBI. He has been held in custody since his arrest.

Investigators found evidence of sustained, deliberate grooming of victims over an extended period. This was not an isolated incident — court records indicate prior allegations of child sexual abuse dating back decades. Prosecutors opposed his release pending sentencing, and a judge agreed.

Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Read the full details here from the U.S. Attorney’s Office — note this report contains graphic content.