SIDNEY — A Sidney man is out on bail following a grand jury indictment in Shelby County Common Pleas Court, Thursday, May 31, for intimidation of a witness and 12 sexual battery charges, all third degree felonies.
Gary L. Bynum Sr., 64, of rural Sidney, was arrested Wednesday evening, according to a report from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, after deputies responded to a report of a suicide threat which Bynum allegedly made after his wife confronted him about a sexual relationship with a female minor. Fort Loramie Rescue also responded to the scene.
The report states that deputies were dispatched at 9:03 p.m. for a suicide threat, in which one of the two loaded handguns in Bynum’s possession was discharged into the floor of his home. Bynum reportedly then pointed one of the weapons at his chest and made a suicidal comment. His wife was able to exit the home safely with two children.
When deputies arrived, they learned that Bynum’s wife had confronted him about allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a minor female. Shelby County Chief Deputy Jim Frye said Bynum refused to come out of his residence for an extended period of time. Frye said he spoke with Bynum on the phone for about 10 to 15 minutes before he would to agree to meet face to face and talk in the garage. At one point, Frye said, Bynum threatened to exit the garage and shoot, which would have forced deputies to shoot him, but he was eventually convinced to exit peacefully without incident.
He was then transported to Wilson Heath for mental evaluation before being taken to the Shelby County Jail, where he was originally charged with two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a third degree felony.
“I’m just glad everything ended the way it did and everybody went home,” Frye said. “I remained calm and tried to convince (Bynumn) he wasn’t going to solve anything by harming himself or to get someone else to harm him.”
Bynum appeared before the grand jury, Thursday, where the original charges were dismissed, and he was indicted on the 13 new charges.
Bynum is scheduled to appear in the Shelby County Common Pleas court again, Thursday, June 7.
