Judge Orders Mental Observation Hearing for Sexual Assault Defendant

By Zakiyia Ortiz [former] - November 29, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Juveniles | Sex Abuse | Sexual Assault | Suspects | Victims |

On Nov. 29, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun ordered a sexual assault defendant to undergo a mental health evaluation.

The 37-year-old man is charged with first-degree child sex abuse for allegedly sexually assaulting his cousin on Oct. 28, 2020, on the 1800 block of 29th Street, SE. According to court documents, the victim was about six or seven years old and living at her grandmother’s house when the sexual assault occurred.

Defense attorney Joseph Yarbough requested an outpatient competency screening for the defendant.

The screening is scheduled for Dec. 8

The defendant allegedly asked the victim if she wanted to play and took her upstairs to her mother’s bedroom, court documents state. She sat down on the bed and the defendant pushed her to the middle of the bed pulled her pants and underwear down to her ankles and engaged in sexual intercourse with the child.

The victim said he stopped once he heard a noise outside of the window and it was her mother pulling into the driveway. He then pulled her pants up and carried her down the stairs and told her “keep this to yourself.”

The prosecutor mentioned that the last prosecutor offered a plea deal that was never said on the record. 

Yarbough mentioned that he knew about the plea offer, but it was never accepted or rejected. He said he doesn’t want to review the plea agreement with the defendant until after his mental health screening.

The defendant, who is currently released on his own recognizance, is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on Dec. 21.