SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — A Barberton man was sentenced to life in prison by Summit County Pleas Court Judge Kathryn Michael on Tuesday for the rape of a 12-year-old girl.
Anthony Mignano, 30, pleaded no contest to the following charges before his sentencing:
- Three counts of rape
- Three counts of gross sexual imposition
According to court documents, Mignano moved in with the girl and her father in the spring of 2022, after which the crimes took place.
Mignano confessed to having sex with the girl at least three times. He will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years in prison.
In a separate incident unrelated to the crimes above, the victim was found dead in June of 2023 in Akron of an apparent overdose from a combination of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Keith Early, 31, of Akron, was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to the following charges related to her death:
- Gross abuse of a corpse
- Failure to report knowledge of a death
In accordance with 3News' long-standing policy on revealing the names of minors who are victims in crimes, the last name of the victim is not being released.
The father, sister and grandmother of the victim released the following joint statement following Mignano's sentencing:
“Melanie’s story is far from over. She was a very sweet, caring, loving, and smart girl who loved playing video games and was interested in forensic science. Melanie’s memory will live on forever.”