Rape trial rescheduled

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A trial has been rescheduled for Sept. 29 in Delaware County Common Pleas Court for a local man accused of raping a girl under the age of 13 between April 2013 and October 2014.

Patrick Martin Howell, 46, of 22 Vernon Ave., was originally scheduled to appear in court Tuesday to face five charges of rape.

The trial was rescheduled after Howell’s attorney, Christoper Soon, filed a motion July 10 to consult a DNA expert as a witness on the case. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 8.

Common Pleas Judge David Gormley set Howell’s bond at $500,000 with the stipulation that Howell not have contact with the victim if he is released from jail.

Howell was in the Delaware County Jail Friday afternoon.

Assistant county prosecuting attorney Doug Dumolt told Gormley during the arraignment that Howell engaged in oral, anal and vaginal sex with the girl a number of times over the course of a year and a half. Dumolt added that Howell also used sex toys on the girl and showed her pornography. Court documents say the rapes occurred between April 12, 2013, and Oct. 31, 2014, while the girl was younger than 13. She is now 13.

Howell was indicted May 22 on five counts of rape, all first-degree felonies. Dumolt said the sentences for each of these charges would be life imprisonment, if he is convicted, because of the age of the girl.

Howell entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment.

Dumolt said Howell was arrested after the victim told a friend about what had happened and the friend subsequently told an adult. Howell was arrested by Delaware police May 15 after the crime was reported to Delaware County Job and Family Services.

Howell
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/07/web1_Patrick-Howell.jpgHowell

By Glenn Battishill

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Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG

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