Mother, son arraigned in rape of girl

Staff report

WARREN

Two people were arraigned in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court in the case of a girl who was raped.

Richard O. Robson, 19, of Tod Avenue Southwest, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to six counts of rape that could produce a life prison sentence.

Judge W. Wyatt McKay set his bond at $1 million.

Robson’s mother, Melissa A. Altenburg, 40, of the same address, pleaded not guilty to felony child endangering. Her bond is $10,000. She could get several years in prison if convicted.

Diane Barber, assistant county prosecutor, said Altenburg was charged because the girl told Altenburg several times Robson was sexually assaulting her, and Altenburg did nothing about it.

Robson’s indictment accuses him of raping the girl starting last September and continuing into January.

The date of Altenburg’s crime is listed as December 2016.

The charge accuses Alternburg of creating a substantial risk to the health or safety of a child in her custody or control by violating a duty of care, protection or support, and this violation resulted in serious physical harm to the child.

Also arraigned Wednesday was Donald J. Bonetti, 45, of Palmer Avenue in Campbell, on six counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and three counts of gross sexual imposition. He’s accused of raping a child under 13.

Girard police charged Bonetti in August after Bonetti voluntarily gave an interview at the police department, according to a police report.

Bonetti pleaded not guilty. Judge McKay set bond at $1 million.

If convicted, Bonetti could get a life prison sentence.

In another case, Adam J. Myers, 34, of Sheridan Street in Niles pleaded guilty to a single count of rape and will be sentenced in about four weeks. He could get up to 11 years in prison.

His indictment says the offense occurred in January and involved a 14-year-old girl.