A McDermott man is being held without bond after a lengthy Scioto County Sheriff’s Office investigation led to a grand jury indictment involving allegations that a child was sexually assaulted beginning at just 10 years old.
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman said the case began when his office received information about a possible rape allegation involving a juvenile victim.
What followed was not a quick arrest, but months of investigative work designed to build a case capable of standing up in court.
🚨 INVESTIGATORS FOLLOWED THE EVIDENCE
According to the sheriff, detectives launched an extensive investigation that included:
- Taking a formal report
- Assigning the case to a detective
- Arranging a sexual assault examination for the victim
- Locating the suspect
- Obtaining a DNA sample
- Submitting evidence to a crime laboratory for analysis
Authorities say detectives continued working the case while awaiting scientific testing results.
⚖️ CRIME LAB RESULTS LEAD TO INDICTMENT
After receiving the crime lab findings, investigators presented the evidence to the Scioto County Grand Jury.
The grand jury returned an indictment, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant.
Detectives located the suspect on May 31 and took him into custody without incident.
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CASES OFTEN TAKE MONTHS TO BUILD
Unlike many criminal investigations, child sexual abuse cases frequently require extensive evidence gathering before charges are filed.
Investigators often spend months:
- Conducting interviews
- Reviewing digital evidence
- Gathering medical records
- Collecting forensic evidence
- Waiting on laboratory testing
- Presenting findings to prosecutors and grand juries
Law enforcement officials say these cases can be especially challenging because many allegations involve incidents that occurred years earlier.
🚔 SUSPECT HELD WITHOUT BOND
Jose Lopez, 46, of McDermott, has been charged with:
- Two counts of rape, both first-degree felonies
He is currently being held without bond and is expected to appear in Scioto County Common Pleas Court.
Sheriff Thoroughman said the investigation remains active and additional charges could still be presented to the grand jury.
Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office.