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Defendant arraigned in child rape case

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Several people were arraigned on serious charges Thursday before Belmont County Common Pleas Judges Frank Fregiato and John Vavra.

Arraignments had been delayed last month due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dale Alan Gordon, 60, of 37375 Flat Rock Road, Barnesville, appeared before Fregiato and pleaded innocent to four counts of rape, a first-degree felony dating from 2016. His pretrial heaing was set for July 13, with plea agreement hearing Aug. 10 and trial Aug. 25. Fregiato set Gordon’s bond at $250,000.

Belmont County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said the four victims were all younger than 13 and known to Gordon. Flanagan would not say if the victims were male or female. He said the alleged offenses took place in the Barnesville area.

He said this came to the attention of law enforcement when one of the alleged victims disclosed the matter.

Fregiato saw other cases.

Iasiah Alfonso Hall, 25, of 522 44th St., Bellaire pleaded innocent to one count of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, and one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, both occurring March 31. His pre-trial was set for July 13, with plea agreement hearing Aug. 10 and trial Aug. 18.

Flanagan said the matter arose from an apparent altercation between Hall and another man in Bellaire.

“After he beat him up, the allegation is he took his money,” Flanagan said. “(The alleged victim) had multiple facial fractures.”

Christian Allen Boothe, 20, of 371 Highway 7 North, Powhatan Point, pleaded innocent to one count of aggravated vehicular assault, a third-degree felony, and one count of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a misdemeanor of the first degree. His pre-trial was set for Aug. 10, with plea agreement hearing Sept. 8 and trial Sept. 24.

“It was alleged he was under the influence and the passengers in his vehicle were injured,” Flanagan said, adding the incident reportedly took place on Ohio 148 in Washington Township. He said Boothe had two passengers, a man and woman.

“He just straightened out of a turn. They thing excessive speed was part of it,” Flanagan said. “He hit a tree.”

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