Saturday, December 29th, 2012
Local man charged with 29 rape counts
Alleged offenses involve three girls under age 13
By Margie Wuebker
A 33-year-old Maria Stein man faces nearly three dozen sex-related charges involving three girls under the age of 13. He also faces similar charges in Auglaize and Allen counties.
Travis M. Quinter, 1229 state Route 716, is scheduled to appear in Mercer County Common Pleas Court on Jan. 16 for an arraignment hearing.
The 29 rape charges, all first-degree felonies, allege he purposely compelled two victims identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II to submit to sexual conduct by force or threat of force.
The incidents allegedly occurred between January 2010 and July of this year.
Grand jurors in Mercer County also returned four counts of gross sexual imposition, all third-degree felonies, against Quinter. These charges allege he engaged in sexual contact with a third girl identified in court paperwork as Jane Doe III. The incidents reportedly occurred between January and July of this year.
Quinter made an initial appearance before Judge Jeffrey Ingraham on Dec. 21. Peter Van Arsdel was appointed to serve attorney in the local case.
He also appeared the same day before Auglaize County Common Pleas Court Judge Fredrick Pepple and pleaded not guilty to eight additional rape charges in that county. His $1 million bond was continued.
Quinter was returned to the Allen County Jail in Lima. His trial on five counts of rape in Allen County is scheduled to get under way Jan. 28. The victims also are described as girls under the age of 13.
Each first-degree felony carries up to 10 years in prison while the third-degree felony charges carry up to five years in prison upon conviction.
