Man's guilty pleas stand in Ottawa County rape case

4/8/2005

PORT CLINTON - A Port Clinton man convicted in two sexual assaults dropped a request to withdraw his guilty plea yesterday.

During a hearing in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court, Joseph M. Gallardo, 33, agreed to stand by the guilty plea he entered Feb. 22 to rape and burglary charges.

He is scheduled to be sentenced at 2:30 p.m. May 26 and could be given up to 18 years in prison.

Authorities said DNA test results linked Gallardo to the rape of a 20-year-old Portage Township woman on Jan. 18, 2004, and the rape of a 36-year-old Port Clinton woman on Feb. 4, 2004.

Both women were attacked in their homes.