Bond reduced for Lebanon man no longer facing rape case

Bond was reduced to $50,000 on Wednesday in the case of a Lebanon man held in the county jail for more than a month on a rape charge that was not included in his indictment.

Magistrate Andrew Hasselbach reset John D. Handley’s bond during his arraignment in Warren County Common Pleas Court, according to court records.

Handley had been held since Aug. 20 on allegations he sexually assaulted a man found naked, bloody and holding a knife in July.

Tuesday morning, Handley, 31, of Lebanon, was served with a warrant advising him he had been indicted on charges of aggravated possession of drugs, and possession of heroin, both fifth-degree felonies; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to court records.

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Wednesday afternoon, he remained in the Warren County Jail, following the arraignment and bond reduction. He could be released if 10 percent of the $50,000 was posted in cash or surety.

Handley had been held in lieu of a $100,000 cash bond, set after he was charged in Lebanon Municipal Court in August with rape, as well as possession of drugs, heroin and paraphernalia.

Lebanon police said they worked for the past two months to build a sexual assault case against Handley stemming from the July incident that resulted in his arrest and other allegations. Police took the case to the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, but the sex charges did not move forward.

In an email, Sgt. Matt Weithofer of the Lebanon Police Department referred questions about the decision to the prosecutor.

“I have no additional information on why he was not indicted on the charge, and I would recommend you follow up with them for more information on the matter,” Weithofer added.

Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said the entire case was presented to the grand jury and that he assumed jurors did not find sufficient evidence for any sex charge.

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Handley was arrested on Aug. 20 at Trader’s World in Monroe and accused of raping a Monroe man after they used drugs together in July.

The alleged victim, 21, was found “with several injuries” at a downtown restaurant and taken to Atrium Medical Center for treatment, according to police reports.

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He told police he stabbed Handley during a rape and escaped Handley’s apartment, where he had been held for several days, according to a search warrant affidavit.

Handley’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

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