Former Columbus City Council Candidate Off To Prison
It's off to prison for a young Columbus man with a once-promising political career.
On Monday, 25-year-old Kieran Cartharn, charged with rape and aggravated burglary, pleaded guilty to the lesser offenses of one count of gross sexual imposition and burglary. The former Columbus City Council candidate also pleaded guilty to two counts of trespass in a habitation.
According to records filed with the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Cartharn, free on a $250,000 bond, will be sentenced on April 12. The Franklin County Prosecutor's Office and Diane Menashe, Cartharn's attorney, recommended to the court a sentencing range of three to six years as opposed to a minimum sentence of 12 ½ years.
Columbus Division of Police said that on January 1, 2021, Cartharn broke into a house at 1927 Waldeck Ave. and raped an OSU student.
Police said on March 13, 2021, Carthan also broke into a house at 55 E. 13th Ave., and on July 25, broke into an apartment at 194 E. 14th Ave.
It's not the first time Cartharn has been in trouble with the law.
In 2021, Cartharn pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. Cartharn served 30 days at the Franklin County Jail. Police said he sent the mother of his two children threatening emails.
The the ex-wife said that Cartharn has an "extraordinary sex drive" and is
"addicted to pornography. Particularly voyeurism porn like peeping through
windows and watching strangers have sex."
In 2018, Cartharn pleaded guilty to three counts of impersonating police officers.
In each case, police said he approached female students on OSU's campus and claimed to be a police officer. The court placed Cartharn on community control for a year.
In June of 2017, according to a complaint a woman filed with the Columbus Division of Police, Cartharn, then 20, "rubbed the inside of her thigh" and
"exposed his penis to her." Charges, for reasons unknown, were not
filed.
In January 2014, police arrested Cartharn, then 17, for shoplifting at Macy's in Easton. The complaint shows the teenager stuffed $1,115.22 worth of merchandise under his coat, including jewelry, shoes, and underwear.
Cartharn is the youngest person to win a primary for Columbus City Council and advance to the General election. In 2017, the 19-year-old political newcomer – endorsed by Franklin County Republican Party and FOP Capital City Lodge #9 – didn't win one of the three seats, but managed to snag 21, 887 votes.