After an Ohio man filed an appeal against a previous guilty verdict, shocking details emerged on Tuesday when a local news station obtained police footage of him, turning himself in after sexually assaulting a little girl in 2017.

In a video published by Fox 8 Cleveland from July 1, 2017, 22-year-old Mark Fry sat in the back of a Richfield police cruiser after approaching authorities in a frantic search for a precinct to turn himself in to, after raping a 7-year-old child.

“I’m sick. I’m sick,” Fry tearfully admits. “I hurt her…in a way somebody should never be hurt.”

“She’ll tell you about it. I can’t speak about it.”

News 5 Cleveland reported that Fry, 22 at the time of the incident, took the girl from her home off of Ruby Avenue in Cleveland, then sexually assaulted her hours before his stunning confession was caught on camera. Authorities found the little girl still sitting in the back of Fry’s car after he turned himself in.

He was immediately arrested and later tried for kidnapping, rape, and other charges.

The Fox report noted that perpetrators rarely confess their crimes as Fry did, but Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, Jeff Schnatter, estimated a recent increase of approximately 25% in assault victims reporting acts perpetrated against them. He imagined the uptick was due in part to national headlines around such cases for which victims are receiving justice.

“Obviously there’s a lot of news about victims of sex offenses coming forward, so I think there’s a feeling of safety to come forward for victims,” he offered by way of explanation.

Cuyahoga County court records show that Fry was sentenced to 35 years to life in November.. Despite Fry’s on-camera confession and guilty plea, he filed the appeal in December.

[Feature Photo: Mark Fry/Police Handout]