A Glouster man originally charged with one count of rape is asking the court to dismiss the four new charges brought against him because the charges are a violation of his right to a speedy trial.
Thomas Shifflet, 75, was charged with one count of rape July 25. On May 3, he was given a new indictment for three counts of gross sexual imposition and one count of sexual imposition.
Shifflet filed a motion Tuesday to have the new charges dismissed because his right to a speedy trial was violated.
The rape of a 4-year-old girl allegedly occurred June 27, according to court documents. The rape was discovered during an investigation into two day care centers in Trimble and Dover Townships.
One alleged incident of gross sexual imposition of a 3-year-old occurred the same day as the alleged rape.
The other two alleged gross sexual impositions were of an 11-year-old between Feb. 1 and June 30, 2011, and of a 7-year-old March 1 to 31, 2010.
The alleged sexual imposition occurred Nov. 27, 2010 against a 12-year-old, according to court documents.
For felony cases the limit for a speedy trial is 270 days after the indictment, according to court documents. Shifflet’s new charges were added to his indictment 340 days after it was originally filed. Shifflet’s motion claims that in accordance to the Ohio Revised Code, the charges must be dismissed.
The court has yet to issue a response to the motion.
Shifflet has been out of Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail since Aug. 8 when his $500,000 bond was posted. He has an electronic monitoring device and is restricted from accessing day care centers or being with minors without their parents’ consent while the rape charge is pending, according to court
documents.
ml147009@ohiou.edu
