A preliminary hearing for an Ironton man charged with rape was continued Thursday in Ironton Municipal Court.

Christopher Luke Prince, 27, will return in court May 20. He was arrested April 21 after a woman alleged that Prince had sexually assaulted her eight-year-old daughter.

At the time of his arrest, Prince worked part-time as a dog warden for the City of Ironton. He had previously been employed as a police officers in the villages of Coal Grove and Hanging Rock.

Prince remains in jail under a $100,000 bond.