Norwalk man charged in sex assualt of 2 teens

3/9/2005

NORWALK, Ohio - A Norwalk man remained in the Huron County jail yesterday on charges of sexually assaulting two teenage girls in a hot tub at a city recreation center.

Laval Douglas, 21, is charged with two counts of rape, a first-degree felony, in connection with the alleged incidents Sunday afternoon at the Ernsthausen Recreation and Aquatic Center.

Jim Conway, a Norwalk city prosecutor, said another customer at the center saw the girls, aged 14 and 15, walking away from the hot tub and looking "visibly upset."

The customer questioned them and then confronted Mr. Douglas, who was later arrested by Norwalk police.

Bond was set at $50,000 for Mr. Douglas during a hearing Monday in Norwalk Municipal Court.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday.