A Chauncey man was arraigned in the Athens County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to one count of abduction.
Chad Smith, 26, also faces charges of domestic violence and resisting arrest, per his indictment.
Abduction is a third-degree felony, while his other charges are misdemeanors of the first and second degree respectively, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
The court appointed Jennifer Baughman as his attorney.
“(Smith) unlawfully did, knowingly, by force or threat, restrain the liberty of (the victim) under circumstances that created risk of physical harm or placed her in fear,” court documents state. “(He) did knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm to (the victim).”
The Indictment indicates Smith and the victim, 22, knew each other, said Sheryl Brownlee,
Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn’s executive assistant, who did not provide more details in an email to
The Post
Thursday night.
According to court documents, Smith allegedly committed the crimes Oct. 1. His case was originally filed in the Athens County Municipal Court until it was transferred to the Common Pleas Court on Oct. 11.
He had been incarcerated at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail since Oct. 1 on a bond set at $10,000 but was released Oct. 29 to live with his mother in her Chauncey home.
Smith will appear in court for a pretrial hearing Dec. 4 and a jury trial Dec. 17.
He could face up to three years in prison for the third-degree felony, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
kf398711@ohiou.edu
@KellyPFisher
This article appeared in print in a package of news briefs.
