Man will take lie detector test

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — A Boardman man charged with 12 counts of raping a juvenile female relative will take a lie detector test today.

John A. Combis, 40, of Hopkins Road is charged with raping the girl between June 1, 2006, and May 31, 2007, in his residence while she was 13 and 14 years old.

Combis was indicted on the charges after the alleged victim made her allegations to a school counselor and Boardman police June 4, 2007. If convicted of all counts, Combis could receive anywhere from three to 120 years in prison.

Combis; his lawyer, John Dixon; and Natasha Frenchko, assistant Mahoning County prosecutor, made the polygraph agreement Monday with the approval of Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. The lie detector test, to be paid for by Combis, will be administered by William Evans, an independent polygraph examiner in Akron.

If Combis passes the polygraph, Frenchko agreed to drop the charges. If he fails, the results may be used against him in a trial. If the results are inconclusive, the agreement is void, and the results may not be used in court.

Neither Frenchko nor Dixon would comment on their reasons for agreeing to the polygraph.

Combis has posted $75,000 bond and is on electronically monitored house arrest.