EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story said Cedarville University is affiliated with the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio, but there is no official affiliation.
CEDARVILLE, Ohio (BP) – A Cedarville University professor has been indicted by a grand jury on multiple sex-related charges eight months after he was placed on administrative leave and barred from campus.
John Tarwater, 55, is being charged with one count of rape, three counts of sexual battery, and two counts of gross sexual imposition for offenses occurring between Aug. 5, 2019 and July 28, 2025. The victim is described as being between 10 and 12 years old.
Cedarville, which has Southern Baptist ties among its faculty and administration but is not an affiliate of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio, promptly placed him on administrative leave, and his contract terminated in October. The Green County Sheriff’s Office said the victim is not affiliated with the university.
“When we learned the specific nature of the charges by the Greene County Grand Jury on March 31, 2026, Cedarville administration believed it was important to share the information with the Cedarville University community,” the school said in a statement. “While it is our understanding that these charges do not involve anyone Dr. Tarwater met or interacted with as a University professor, our guiding priority was transparency and the safety and well-being of everyone on campus.”
According to the indictment obtained by The Roys Report, Tarwater is the victim’s father.
Tarwater was hired in 2017 as an associate finance professor. His writings include two books – one on marriage as a covenant and the other on business ethics. Peer-reviewed journal articles address business ethics and Christian sexual ethics.
If you are/have been a victim of sexual abuse or suspect sexual abuse by a pastor, staff member or member of a Southern Baptist church or entity, please reach out for help at sbcabuseprevention.com/helpline or call 833-611-HELP.
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