An Ohio businessman and restaurateur accused of multiple violent acts against a woman he had been dating has been sentenced to five years of probation.
Robert “Bobby” George, 44, received the sentence on Monday, Nov. 3, after pleading guilty to a fifth-degree felony charge of attempted strangulation, according to reports from NBC affiliate WKYC, The Columbus Dispatch, and ABC affiliate WEWS-TV. He had initially pleaded not guilty just days before.
George, who owns several restaurants including TownHall and Mandrake Rooftop in Columbus, was originally charged with attempted murder, rape, and kidnapping. According to court records cited by The Dispatch, the charges stemmed from several alleged domestic violence incidents involving a 25-year-old woman in 2023 and 2024.
Authorities said the victim, who had been dating George, accused him of several violent acts — including once holding a gun to her after she left their home and, in a separate incident, raping her after she stepped out of the shower, WKYC reported.
She also alleged that George forced a towel into her mouth and said, “You think God is going to help you?” while she prayed, according to court filings cited by the outlet. The felony attempted strangulation charge was tied to a June 2024 event in which George allegedly choked her multiple times and threw her around their home, Cleveland.com reported.
Following his sentencing, George released a statement denying the accusations and comparing his situation to that of former President Donald Trump. “Trump was targeted by his political enemies who had prosecutorial power, and so was I. He was vindicated, and I will be, too,” he said, according to the outlet. He added that his guilty plea did not mean he was admitting guilt but “acknowledging taking a single step toward a crime,” claiming it “has no effect on my life or my freedom,” per The Dispatch.
Jefferson County prosecutor Jane Hanlin said in a statement on Wednesday, Nov. 5, that “[George’s] conviction is a felony offense of violence and he will be labeled as a convicted felon for the rest of his life. It was crucial to the victim and the State that Mr. George be held accountable for what he did and to put the world on notice about what kind of man he really is.”
Through Hanlin, the victim shared a statement expressing ongoing fear and trauma. “I have difficulty trusting anyone besides family,” she said, according to WKYC. “I’m triggered with reminders of the abuse I endured daily. I am terrified of the defendant, his lies and manipulation, and what he may do to me or someone I love in retaliation for speaking out. For my safety, I moved in with my parents. I find it difficult going anywhere alone or anywhere outside my house at all.”
Under the terms of his sentence, George must avoid all contact with the victim and her family for five years. He will only face jail time if he violates the conditions of his probation, The Dispatch reported.
