A man convicted of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl he met online through a chat room in 2025 has been sentenced to life in prison.

The Summit County Prosecutor’s Office says Lowell Strickland, 57, of Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony and will be eligible for parole consideration after 10 years. He was also designated a Tier III sex offender, requiring lifetime registration if ever released.

Prosecutors say the case began in March 2025, when Akron police responded to a missing child report. The girl later told investigators she had met Strickland online and went with him to a hotel. Police were able to identify Strickland using chat room records, hotel surveillance footage, and DNA evidence confirmed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The prosecutor’s office praised Akron police and Akron Children’s Hospital staff for their work in protecting the child and securing the conviction.