Man Pleads Not Guilty in Rape of Ohio Girl Who Had Abortion

The case attracted national news after it was revealed the child had the procedure in Indiana
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 13, 2022 1:45 PM CDT
Updated Jul 25, 2022 5:04 PM CDT
Man Charged in Rape of Girl, 10, Who Sought Abortion
Protesters rally at the Ohio Statehouse in support of abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade on Friday, June 24, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio.   (Barbara J. Perenic /The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

Update: The man held in the rape of an Ohio girl who had an abortion at age 10 in Indiana pleaded not guilty Monday to two felony counts. Gershon Fuentes is being jailed in Franklin County without bond pending a hearing, which hasn't been scheduled, the AP reports. Conviction could bring a prison sentence of life without parole. Court filings say the girl was 9 when she was sexually assaulted, per USA Today. Our story from July 13 follows:

A 27-year-old Ohio man has been charged with raping a 10-year-old girl whose resulting pregnancy made national news after it became public that she traveled to Indiana in order to obtain a legal abortion. Gershon Fuentes, of Columbus, was arrested Tuesday; police say he admitted to raping the girl at least twice. At Fuentes' Wednesday arraignment, Det. Jeffrey Huhn testified that Columbus police learned of the girl's pregnancy on June 22. He said she had an abortion in Indianapolis on June 30.

The girl was reportedly unable to undergo the procedure in Ohio because she was just days past six weeks of pregnancy, after which abortions are not legal in the state. Huhn said DNA testing is being done on the aborted remains to confirm that Fuentes impregnated the girl. Fuentes' bond was set at $2 million. The Columbus Dispatch, which reported news of the arrest, says the charges and testimony confirm a story that had been coming under increasing scrutiny.

story continues below

On Monday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told Fox News host Jesse Watters that his office hadn't heard so much as "a whisper" of a police report being filed on the 10-year-old's behalf. In an interview with the USA TODAY Network Ohio bureau on Tuesday, he said that the continued lack of confirmation made it "more likely that this is a fabrication." The Dispatch reports Yost's office on Wednesday released a one-sentence statement: "We rejoice anytime a child rapist is taken off the streets." (More abortion stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X