Ohio judge: Dad competent to stand trial in abuse case

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio judge today ruled a man is competent to stand trial on charges that he raped young boys in his care in western Ohio.

Judge Mary Katherine Huffman of Montgomery County Common Pleas Court ruled that a court-ordered evaluation of the man found no mental issues that would keep him from assisting his own defense. The Montgomery County finding came after the man’s scheduled trial this month in his home area of Miami County was postponed, pending results of the assessment of his sanity and competency.

The 40-year-old Troy man is accused of raping three boys, ages 9 to 12. He had adopted two of the boys, along with a 9-year-old girl, and was in the process of adopting the third boy.

The Associated Press isn’t naming the father to protect the children’s identities.

The father also is charged with arranging for two other men to have sex with one of the boys. He was arrested in February as the result of a detective’s investigation of a person who went online seeking what was called “taboo” sex.

The father was charged with rape and related charges in both Montgomery and Miami counties.