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Youngstown man arraigned on charges
YOUNGSTOWN
A trial date is set for a Youngstown man accused of brutally attacking and raping an acquaintance after an argument in June.
A Mahoning County grand jury indicted Sanjuan Smith, 42, of Almyra Avenue, on two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping and felonious assault. He was arraigned Tuesday before Magistrate Daniel P. Dascenzo of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on the charges.
Smith, who is in the county jail, pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying little else during the brief court appearance.
Smith did make hand gestures and mouthed words to a woman sitting in the audience of the courtroom.
He has been in jail on a $750,000 bond since his arrest in early June. Dascenzo ordered that bond be continued and that Smith have no contact with the woman he is accused of attacking if he makes bond and is released.
Smith is scheduled to appear next Tuesday before Judge James C. Evans for an initial pretrial hearing. His trial date has been set for Aug. 22.
Smith was arrested after a 28-year-old female showed up at the downtown police station badly beaten and asking officers for help.
Police went to the woman’s Market Street home about 8 a.m. and found Smith sleeping inside.
The woman told police Smith came to her home and the couple engaged in consensual sex, but Smith became enraged when he looked in her cellphone and found names and text messages from other men.
According to police reports, Smith attacked the woman, striking her multiple times.
The woman said Smith then made her perform various sex acts against her will and refused to let her leave the home.
The woman said she ran out of the home and to the police station after Smith went to sleep.