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Photo evidence challenged as Benedict s defense presents case
BUCYRUS - A pair of photos investigators believe Josh Benedict took of a 9-year-old girl during an assault in the fall of 2015 were challenged as the accused s family members took the stand in his defense Thursday in Crawford County Common Pleas Court.
Benedict, 42, faces 198½ years in prison if convicted of all 130 sex-related charges filed against him two first-degree felony counts of rape, two second-degree felony counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, a third-degree felony count of gross sexual imposition and 125 fourth-degree felony counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.
Q92 7 WQEL wqel.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wqel.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In all eight cases, the victim was a juvenile.
Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall theorized the trend may be an offshoot of the pandemic. People have more anxiety and more anger toward each another, he said. You see it in our politics politics now are two people screaming at each other instead of arguing ideas.
Domestic violence also has increased over the last year, Crall noted.
In one of the two most recent cases, Fred Hatfield, 73, Galion, was indicted on seven counts of rape, a first-degree felony, according to the Crawford County Clerk of Courts website.
Hatfield is accused of raping a girl repeatedly over the course of years, Crall said.