Man in Bryan accused of raping, disfiguring boy

7/28/2005

BRYAN - A 29-year-old Bryan man who was charged in May with two counts of rape of a young boy was indicted again yesterday on the same charges, with the added specification that the boy had been seriously physically harmed.

Melvin D. Palmerton, of 1025 East Wilson St., is accused of raping the boy from the time the child was about 3 until he was about 6, Williams County Prosecutor Craig Roth said.

The boy is permanently disfigured because of the sexual assaults, Mr. Roth said. He received a requested medical report on the boy's condition about a month after Mr. Palmerton was first indicted. Thus, Mr. Roth returned the case to the grand jury yesterday.

The earlier indictments against Mr. Palmerton, which do not include the specification on serious physical harm, will be dismissed, Mr. Roth said.

Mr. Palmerton pleaded not guilty to the first indictments. He is to appear in Williams County Common Pleas Court this morning to have his bond reset on the new indictments. His arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 2.

He remained last night in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, where he has been held since May 13 on a $250,000 bond.