ZANESVILLE, Ohio — A Muskingum County man’s 25-year prison sentence for a violent domestic assault will remain in place after Ohio’s Fifth District Court of Appeals upheld the conviction and sentence.
Sterling Mullins appealed his 2025 sentence, arguing that his kidnapping and felonious assault convictions should have been combined for sentencing purposes and that the trial court improperly imposed his prison term. The appellate court rejected both arguments.
Mullins was sentenced after pleading guilty to three felony offenses and two misdemeanor charges stemming from a July 15, 2025, assault at a residence on Bonifield Court in Zanesville.
Court records show police responded after receiving reports of a woman covered in blood seeking help from a nearby home while screaming that Mullins was trying to kill her. Prosecutors said the victim’s 13-year-old son witnessed part of the attack.
According to court documents, the victim suffered severe injuries after being repeatedly assaulted, including being struck multiple times, strangled until she lost consciousness and beaten with a household object. The injuries required extensive medical treatment, including facial reconstruction surgery and months of rehabilitation.
As part of his negotiated plea agreement, Mullins agreed that certain charges would not merge for sentencing. During sentencing, he sought a reduced prison term despite denying responsibility for the attack.
In its ruling, the Fifth District Court of Appeals determined the trial court acted within the law and found that Mullins had waived his argument regarding the merger of offenses when he entered the plea agreement.
Mullins remains incarcerated at Belmont Correctional Institution. According to state records, his projected release date is July 2050.
