Grand jurors indicted a Proctorville man Wednesday for the alleged rape of an 8-year-old girl.

Thursday, June 08, 2000

Grand jurors indicted a Proctorville man Wednesday for the alleged rape of an 8-year-old girl.

Leonard R. Dement Jr., 35, of 4637 County Road 12, Proctorville, was indicted on one count of rape, a first-degree felony, and one county of kidnapping, a second-degree felony, Lawrence County prosecutor J.B. Collier Jr. said.

Dement remains in the Lawrence County Jail. He is expected to appear in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court today for arraignment.

Proctorville police arrested Dement May 24 after a neighbor and the 8-year-old girl’s mother filed a report the day before, police chief Boyd Blake said.

Preliminary investigations showed Dement approached the girl and her little brother, Blake said.

The two children allegedly went with the suspect to the BP gas station on Ohio 7 to purchase a can of soda. After the brother left, the girl followed the suspect behind Kroger’s, according to police reports.

The mother walked down there and found the girl’s bike by the campgrounds, which might have caused the suspect to leave, then the girl went to her mom and told her what happened, Blake said.

Blake and Proctorville patrolman Valerie Penick questioned the suspect the night of the incident. An arrest was made the next day.

Ironton Police Department Detective Capt. Chris Bowman and Lawrence County prosecutor’s office investigators assisted in the investigation.

As filed, an indictment represents a formal charge. It does not represent a judgment in court.

Other indictments filed Wednesday were:

– John Wright, 31, of Oak Ridge Road, Ironton: on seven counts of passing bad checks and two counts of theft by deception.

– James E. Smith, also known as Jimmy Strong, 36, of 244 County Road 17, South Point: on one count of felonious assault, second-degree felony; one count of falsification, first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of having weapons while under disability, fifth-degree felony.

– Buddy Jenkins, 19, of 2841 Wait St., Columbus: on one count of failure to comply with signal or order of police officer, third-degree felony.

– David W. Barker, 23, of 317 Neal Ave., Ironton: on one count of grand theft, fourth-degree felony.

– Terrence Wise, 21, 814 S. Fourth St., Ironton: on one count of forgery, fifth-degree felony.

– Charlie Baker, 37, of Route 825, Oil Springs, Ky.: on one count of illegal conveyance of weapons or prohibited items onto grounds of a detention facility or institution, fifth-degree felony.

– Daniel Jenkins, 33, of 786 County Road 180, Ironton: on one count driving under the influence, having three priors within six years, fourth-degree felony.

– Derrick Barker, 18, of 2230 S. Seventh St., Ironton: on one count of grand theft, fourth-degree felony.

– Aaron S. Cooper, 19, of 2827 County Road 21, Ironton: on one count of failure to comply with order or signal of police officer, fourth-degree felony, and one count of receiving stolen property.

– Wayne Joseph Meade, 49, of 111 Ferry St., South Point: on one count of trafficking in marijuana, fourth-degree felony; one count possession of marijuana, third-degree felony; one count of preparation of marijuana for sale, fourth-degree felony; one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, fourth-degree misdemeanor; and one count of aggravated possession of drugs, fifth-degree felony.

– Justin Kyle, 23, of 3408 Laurel Ave., Birmingham, Ala.: on one count of theft by deception, fifth-degree felony.