Man fails to appear at arraignment

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — A 41-year-old Cleveland man charged with raping a girl while she was between the ages of 7 and 10 has failed to appear for his arraignment in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Because of Edson D. Halk’s failure to appear on Wednesday, Judge R. Scott Krichbaum has issued a bench warrant for his arrest. After Halk is apprehended, he is to be held without bond in Mahoning County Jail until further notice from the court, the judge ordered.

Halk, of Platten Avenue, Cleveland, faces a potential life prison term if he’s convicted of any of the three rape counts lodged against him. He was indicted Jan. 29, when the case was directly presented to the county grand jury.

The alleged offenses occurred between Jan. 1, 2006, and Sept. 22, 2008, and the investigation was conducted by the Springfield Township Police Department.

Police described Halk as an unemployed white man, 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighing 145 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was born Feb. 21, 1967, in Porchman, Va., police said.