CHILLICOTHE, OHIO — A Ross County man previously convicted of gross sexual imposition, identified as a non-compliant sex offender, and reported wanted by authorities earlier this year is back behind bars following another arrest in Chillicothe.
David Wesley Caplinger Jr., 43, was arrested on Saturday, October 10, 2026, by the Chillicothe Police Department. According to Ross County Jail records, Caplinger was booked into the facility at approximately 12:23 p.m.
The latest arrest adds another chapter to a history that includes a sexual assault investigation involving a juvenile, allegations of threats with a machete, a prison sentence, and previous reports that Caplinger was wanted by law enforcement.
Latest Arrest: October 10, 2026
According to jail records, Caplinger was arrested by Chillicothe Police Officer Abigail Tomlison.
The jail roster lists the following charges and holds:
- Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
- Failure to provide change of address
- Resisting arrest
- Obstructing official business
- Parole holder
The jail roster lists $1,000 cash-or-surety bond amounts for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business. A parole holder is also listed with no bond.
The circumstances surrounding the latest arrest have not yet been established through a police narrative.
Previously Identified as a Non-Compliant Sex Offender
On August 20, 2026, Hopewell Heritage Headlines published an article identifying Caplinger as a non-compliant registered sex offender with a listed address in Chillicothe.
At that time, Caplinger was reported wanted by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
Additional records from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction list Caplinger’s supervision status as “APA Supervision – VAL,” with the designation “Violator at Large.”
The department’s records also show that Caplinger had previously been admitted to Lebanon Correctional Institution on January 24, 2025.
Although his latest jail booking includes a parole holder, the available records do not yet establish the specific circumstances behind the supervision violation or whether it is directly connected to his previous non-compliance.
The 2024 Sexual Assault Investigation
Caplinger’s previous conviction stems from a Chillicothe Police Department investigation that began during the early morning hours of June 28, 2024.
According to an 11-page police report obtained by Hopewell Heritage Headlines, officers were dispatched to a residence on East Water Street around 2:03 a.m. following allegations of a sexual assault involving a juvenile.
Investigators reported that several individuals had been gathered at a residence on East Fourth Street, where alcohol and marijuana were allegedly being consumed.
According to statements documented by police, the juvenile reported consuming alcohol and marijuana before becoming heavily impaired.
The juvenile subsequently alleged that she awoke to Caplinger touching her inappropriately while she was lying in a bed.
Police documented allegations that the juvenile attempted to resist and later fled the residence.
Allegations of Threats With a Machete
The investigation also uncovered allegations of a confrontation involving a machete.
According to police reports, after the juvenile left the residence, Caplinger allegedly confronted individuals who were attempting to locate or assist her.
Witnesses told investigators that Caplinger possessed a machete and made threats against individuals involved in the confrontation.
The juvenile also reported that Caplinger held a machete near her throat and threatened to kill her if she disclosed what had happened.
Officers subsequently located Caplinger at a residence on East Fourth Street, detained him, and transported him for questioning.
He was initially arrested on an aggravated menacing charge while investigators continued examining the sexual assault allegations.
These details are allegations documented in the police investigation and should not be interpreted as separate criminal convictions.
Investigation, Evidence, and Criminal Proceedings
Chillicothe Police Detective Christopher Fyffe led the investigation, which included witness interviews, a forensic sexual assault examination, and the collection of physical evidence.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for the East Fourth Street residence and collected evidence, including bedding and clothing.
According to a September 26, 2024, supplemental report, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation returned laboratory findings related to the forensic examination.
Some samples tested positive for acid phosphatase activity, while other testing did not identify a foreign DNA profile. A swab collected from an interior crotch panel contained a DNA mixture with a major contributor consistent with Caplinger.
Those findings were forwarded to the Ross County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
On October 25, 2024, investigators reported that a grand jury returned an indictment charging Caplinger with two counts of gross sexual imposition.
Nine-Month Prison Sentence
According to a January 16, 2025, supplemental police report, Caplinger pleaded guilty to two counts of gross sexual imposition.
He was sentenced to nine months in prison and required to register as a Tier I sex offender.
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records identify a fifth-degree felony gross sexual imposition offense associated with Ross County Common Pleas Court case 24CR424, before Judge Matthew S. Schmidt.
Caplinger was admitted to state custody on January 24, 2025.
The police department subsequently marked its investigation closed following the guilty plea and sentencing.
From Prison Sentence to Wanted Status and Another Arrest
Caplinger’s case has now resurfaced in public records more than a year after his sentencing.
By August 2026, Hopewell Heritage Headlines had reported that Caplinger was listed as a non-compliant sex offender and wanted by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
State correctional records reviewed in connection with this latest arrest also identify him as a violator at large.
Now, less than two months after the previous Hopewell Heritage Headlines report, Caplinger has been arrested again in Chillicothe.
His October 10 booking includes several new allegations and a parole holder, raising additional questions about the events leading to his arrest and the status of his supervision.
Hopewell Heritage Headlines expects to obtain additional law enforcement records on Monday, which may provide further details about the latest incident, the circumstances of his arrest, and the outstanding supervision-related issues.
The new criminal allegations remain pending based on the records currently available. Caplinger is presumed innocent of those new charges unless and until proven guilty in court.
Hopewell Heritage Headlines will continue following this case as additional public records become available.
Also booked
Send a tip or correction to info@heritageheadlines.com.
Get the morning stories.
Send a tip or correction to info@heritageheadlines.com, or use the contact page.
Latest bookings
Vinton County
Keith Eugene Johnson
Booked Oct 9, 2026
Vinton County
Dwayne Daniel Neal
Booked Oct 7, 2026
Vinton County
Delores Elizabeth Atchison
Booked Oct 6, 2026
Individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
