Judge Denies Defense’s Request for Temporary Release of Child Sex Abuse Defendant 

By Ashley Brown [former] - October 3, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Sex Abuse | Sexual Assault | Suspects | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo denied a defense attorney’s request for temporary release on behalf of a child sex abuse defendant.

The 45-year-old defendant was placed under arrest on Sept. 13 and charged with first-degree child sex abuse, second-degree sex abuse, stalking, and enticement of a child and minor for his alleged sexual conduct with a 15-year-old girl on the 200 block of Carroll Street, NW from 2019 to 2022. 

During a Sept. 30 hearing, defense attorney, Howard McEachern, asked Judge Demeo to grant his client temporary release, stating that he needs to “get his affairs in order.”

According to court documents, Lopez first approached the victim at the Takoma Park Metro station when she was just 13-years-old. There, he allegedly called her “beautiful,” and the two exchanged phone numbers, initiating contact between them.

After exchanging phone numbers, the two began communicating with each other consistently and eventually started to meet in person at multiple different locations.

Court documents also state that the defendant performed oral sex on the victim in various hotels, a park in Silver Spring, Md., and both of their residences from 2019 to 2022.

McEachern argued in favor of temporary release for the defendant, regarding his criminal history as “negligible.” 

In response, the prosecution contended that the defendant is “dangerous,” citing his prior voluntary manslaughter conviction in 1993 as proof of this claim.

Additional evidence from court documents further the prosecution’s argument as they allege the defendant reportedly stood outside the victim’s home with a card reading “love you” after she ended contact with him in July 2021.

Judge Demeo agreed with the prosecution and rejected McEachern’s request for temporary release, referring to the defendant as a “danger to the community.”

Parties are scheduled to return to court on Oct. 20 as the defense considers a plea offer the prosecution proposed during a previous hearing.