Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty announced the work of a local Sexual Assault Kit Task Force has led to 500 indictments.
The Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Kit Task Force is made up of the prosecutor's and sheriff's offices as well as the Cleveland Division of Police.
Back in 2013, Prosecutor McGinty formed the task force with help from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine paying for all back logged rape kits, close to five-thousand in the county alone, to be tested.
The tested kits have led to 500 indictments and 209 convictions out of the 500.
DeWine says testing these kits is stopping future sexual assaults from happening and changing the way people view rape.
"We have seen the state legislature come in and pass legislation that extended the statute of limitations also mandated from now on rape kits must be tested,” said DeWine. “People in Ohio and across the county now understand the value these rape kits have."
DeWine says less than 100 kits still need to be tested. The oldest samples date back to 1993.
The AG also says the kits have revealed that the men who've committed these sexual assaults often have criminal records for other charges like domestic abuse and burglary.
More than half are considered serial rapists, responsible for more than one sexual assault.