The case of a Lancaster man accused of raping two Athens minors in 1998 while baby-sitting them will go before a grand jury Monday.
The Athens County Sheriff's office arrested Nathaniel Sturgill, 27, last Thursday.
Police began investigating the rape earlier this month after the two alleged victims recently told their parents about the incident and called the police.
The alleged victims told police that Sturgill performed oral sex on both the boy and girl when he baby-sat them. The woman, who is now 21, told police that this took place three times, and that he also performed digital penetration on her, according to court records.
The woman told police that she had seen child pornography on Sturgill's computer in the past, according to records.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges during his arraignment and was held on $50,000 bond, $25,000 for each charge.
Though he was 16 when he allegedly raped the minors, Sturgill will be tried as an adult, because he was not arrested until he was after 21, said Assistant County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn.
Since 1998, the penalty for rape of a minor has changed from three to 10 years in prison to 10 years to life in prison, Blackburn said.
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Frank Thomas
