TRUMBULL COUNTY Man faces rape charges

John T. Hudach faces life in prison if convicted.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A 46-year-old Hubbard man is under indictment in the molestations of four 12-year-old Hubbard boys, including rape charges.
John T. Hudach, of Shadow Run Apartments off West Liberty Street, was indicted Wednesday by a Trumbull County grand jury on three counts of rape. He could be sentenced to life in prison on each rape charge if convicted.
He is also indicted on two counts of gross sexual imposition and four counts of disseminating material harmful to juveniles.
Hudach was taken into custody Nov. 2 as city and Hubbard Township police searched his apartment. He has been held in the Trumbull County Jail since then.
Hudach was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Girard Municipal Court on some of the charges, but he was served the indictment in his cell, city Detective Robert Altier said.
To grand jury
Rather than going through the hearing, Altier took the case directly to the grand jury last week.
Police have been watching Hudach since 2000, but intensified their investigation in 2003 at the suggestion of Police Chief Marty Kanetsky, Altier said.
Altier had said that he and township Detective Mike Begeot were watching Hudach, and that in 2000, Hudach was charged with importuning -- but the boys at the time wouldn't acknowledge they were involved in anything of a sexual nature with him.
On April 3, 2000, Hudach pleaded guilty in Girard court to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct. He was fined $225 and placed on probation for one year.
Monitored apartment
Altier and Begeot had been working with Simco Management Corp., which owns the apartment complex where Hudach lives, to monitor his apartment.
The apartment manager called police Oct. 20 when he saw two boys go into Hudach's apartment. When they walked out of the apartment about a half-hour later, the detectives picked up the boys for questioning.
The two 12-year-olds acknowledged they had sexual activity with Hudach, Altier explained. This led to the questioning of two other 12-year-old boys, who also said Hudach paid them with cigarettes for sexual favors.
Besides rape and gross sexual imposition, Hudach is charged with showing the boys adult pornographic videos.
Hudach has a one-room apartment with a separate bathroom, Altier had noted, and sometimes a boy watched the activity of another with Hudach.
At least two of the boys are undergoing counseling.
Altier said Hudach would meet the boys at the apartment complex clubhouse as they were walking home from school.
yovich@vindy.com