Thursday, February 4, 2010

Liverpool area man indicted for child rape

By MARY ANN GREIER
POSTED: February 3, 2010
Another
Columbiana County resident may be looking at a possible life sentence in prison after being served with a secret indictment for the alleged rape of a young child.
Paul W. Power, 61, of 48978 Calcutta-Smiths Ferry Road, East Liverpool, was charged by the county grand jury with rape, a first-degree felony, along with an age specification because the victim was under the age of 10 and a separate charge of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony. The third-degree felony carries a possible sentence of one to five years in prison.
The charge of rape normally carries a possible sentence of three to 10 years, but when the age specification is attached, the penalty is elevated to a mandatory life sentence.
Court documents alleged Power purposely engaged in sexual conduct with the child, who was 4 or 5 years old at the time of the offense in 2009. The other charge alleged he purposely had sexual contact with the child on Nov. 5, 2009. The child was 5 years old at the time of that incident.
Power became the third resident to be charged with rape with the age specification in the last two years.
John Hudson, 23, formerly of West Perry Street, Salem, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole in September for the rape of a 2-year-old girl on April 23, 2008, at his residence. He had been charged with rape with two specifications, one for the age of the victim and one for causing the victim serious physical harm.
A jury issued the verdict after several days of testimony, including the testimony of the defendant. Both specifications carried mandatory life sentences. Last month, an appellate court agreed to allow Hudson to file a delayed appeal to challenge his conviction and sentence, but he remains in prison.
Earl Collins, 46, formerly of East Palestine, will face sentencing at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 12 for the rape of a nearly 3-year-old girl at an East Palestine residence on March 27 or 28, 2008. Collins remains in the county jail. The charge against him included an age specification since the victim was under the age of 10, requiring a mandatory life sentence.
The judge will have to decide whether Collins has a chance for parole eligibility after a set number of years or no chance for parole for the rest of his life.
mgreier@salemnews.net

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