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  Utin Arraigned in Ohio; Attorneys Challenge Confession

By Tonia Moxley
The Roanoke Times [Virginia]
September 28, 2006

http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/breaking/wb/84750

Retired Blacksburg Middle School teacher Jonathan Utin, 64, was arraigned today in Ohio on eight counts of rape of a child and eight counts of sexual imposition of a child. His bond was set at $250,000 in cash. Utin remains in jail in Butler County, Ohio.

This morning, Utin entered a plea of not guilty. The two Ohio attorneys representing Utin filed a motion to suppress statements he made to Ohio police after his arrest in Blacksburg on Sept. 18, Butler County prosecutor Robin Piper said.

Ohio police say Utin confessed to molesting children over at least 30 years. Butler County Judge Matthew Crehan has scheduled a hearing on the motion to surpress for Oct. 23. No other hearings on the case have been set.

The Ohio charges all involve one victim, who allegedly was assaulted both in Ohio and in Blacksburg between 1998 and 2002.

Piper said that "several" Virginia victims had been identified by investigators, but he did not know the number. Blacksburg police are asking that anyone with information about the case come forward. Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch said Wednesday that more charges will be filed against Utin after Blacksburg police complete their investigation.

Utin worked in Blacksburg as a middle school teacher, swim club pool manager and for a short time as a Sunday school teacher. After retiring from public schools in 2003, he worked as a substitute teacher in Montgomery County.

Today's arraignment was the second for Utin. After being transferred to Ohio last week, he was arraigned on a single charge of gross sexual imposition, which is the equivalent of aggravated sexual battery of a child in Virginia. His bond was set then at $500,000, but was an unsecured bond, meaning Utin could have posted 10 percent and been released.

The new, $250,000 bond must be paid in full for Utin to be released.

 
 

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