COLUMBUS, Ohio — The person accused of raping and impregnating a 10-year-old lady will likely be held with out bond pending his trial, a choose dominated Thursday.
Gerson Fuentes, 27, is going through two counts of rape of a kid underneath the age of 13. If convicted, he faces a most sentence of life in jail with none risk for parole.
The subsequent step within the case will likely be for a trial date to be set.
Within the case that has drawn worldwide consideration over abortion rights, the kid went to Indiana final month to get an abortion as a result of Ohio had banned the process for many instances after the Supreme Court docket overturned Roe v. Wade. Fuentes’ arrest on July 12 additional confirmed the story that was first reported by the Indianapolis Star, a part of the USA TODAY Community, after it drew scrutiny by abortion opponents.
Thursday morning, Columbus police Det. Jeffrey Huhn testified the kid had recognized Fuentes as the person who assaulted her. Huhn additionally supplied a clearer timeline of the investigation into the case in the course of the listening to.
Franklin County Kids Companies obtained a referral on June 22 concerning the kid being pregnant and made a report back to Columbus police, Huhn testified. The lady underwent a forensic interview on June 23, at which level she didn’t acknowledge being assaulted or establish a suspect.
The lady’s mom sought a session within the Columbus space for a possible abortion, Huhn testified, however due to the estimated gestational age, the process couldn’t be carried out in Ohio. A name was made to Indianapolis and the lady traveled there on June 29.
After a session in Indianapolis, the lady needed to wait 18 hours earlier than the process, which was finished by medicine, happened on June 30, Huhn stated.
On July 6, a second interview was finished with the lady, who acknowledged, nonverbally, that Fuentes assaulted her, Huhn stated. Fuentes supplied a DNA pattern on that day, based on the testimony on Thursday morning.
A second DNA pattern was obtained by a search warrant July 12 and an interview was finished, throughout which an interpreter was used and Fuentes admitted to sexually assaulting the lady on not less than two events whereas she was 9 years outdated.
OHIO LAW, EXPLAINED:Why did a 10-year-old little one have to depart Ohio to get an abortion?
BACKGROUND:Man indicted in rape of 10-year-old Ohio lady who traveled to Indiana for abortion
Suspect held with out bond
In arguing for bond, Bryan Bowen, Fuentes’ legal professional, stated Fuentes had no legal historical past and whereas he’s a local of Guatemala, Fuentes has lived in Columbus for seven years. Earlier, Huhn famous that Fuentes was not in a position to be present in any regulation enforcement databases or any footprint of his being within the nation legally.
Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Dan Meyer argued that Fuentes ought to be held with out bond due to the potential threat he poses to the neighborhood, in addition to his chance of showing at future hearings.
“It is a 10-year-old little one who didn’t ask for any of this,” Meyer stated.
Franklin County Frequent Pleas Court docket Choose Julie Lynch agreed.
“This court docket would assume if there have been documentation proving this defendant was on this nation legally, it might have been introduced right here right now,” she stated. Permitting for the potential for Fuentes to be launched on bond would trigger a “traumatic and psychological impression” for the alleged sufferer, she added.
For a no bond determination to be issued by a choose, they have to take into account the character of the alleged crimes, the load of the proof within the case, the ties to the neighborhood the defendant might need, in addition to the security of the general public and the chance of the defendant to seem at future hearings.
INDIANA DOCTOR:Supplier who shared 10-year-old’s abortion story didn’t violate HIPAA, officers say
TRIGGER LAWS:Authorized fights over abortion ‘set off legal guidelines’ proceed throughout US: What to know, state by state
Contributing: Monroe Trombly, Columbus Dispatch; Tony Prepare dinner, Indianapolis Star
