City man wants judge to hear his side of sex assault case

COLUMBUS -- A 23-year-old Columbus man accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl after she ran away from a city group home has requested a judge hear his case.

Platte County District Court Judge Robert Steinke granted defendant Edward Jacinto’s request and scheduled a bench trial for June 9 in connection with the Dec. 30 incident.

Jacinto is charged with first-degree sexual assault, a Class II felony punishable by a maximum of 50 years imprisonment and a minimum of one year imprisonment.

Jacinto is in custody at the Platte County Detention Facility.

Court documents in the case describe an incident in which the victim, who has since turned 15 years old, and a 17-year-old girl were living at the Boys & Girls Home, 3020 18th St.

The girls contacted Jacinto by cellular telephone and arranged to meet the defendant after leaving the group home late the night of Dec. 29, according to an arrest affidavit filed in the case by Platte County Sheriff’s Investigator James Fairchild.

The investigator said Jacinto had agreed to meet the girls and drive them to Grand Island, but instead took them to his home in the 3000 block of East 26th Street.

The defendant is accused of sexually assaulting the victim at his home in the early morning hours of Dec. 30, Fairchild said. The victim identified Jacinto as the man who had assaulted her from a photo lineup about a week later.

Fairchild said the defendant admitted having sex with the victim, but said it was consensual and that he was unaware she was 14 years old.