Being charged with committing sexual assault can be a stressful event in a Missouri resident’s life. Members of the community often rush to judgment when they hear that someone has been charged with sexual assault. Despite the emotions raised by such an allegation, it is important to remember that not every person who is accused of committing a crime has actually done what they are charged with doing.

One Missouri man was recently accused of several counts of deviate sexual assault along with one count of abuse of a healthcare recipient. The 56-year-old man was employed by the state’s Division of Senior Services. Officials maintain that he engaged in the alleged wrongdoing over the course of several months when he was visiting the apartment of the male victim.

At some point in early December, an unidentified person complained that an employee at the Division of Senior Services had engaged in some sort of misconduct. This resulted in Missouri authorities conducting an investigation into the sexual assault and abuse allegations. The man authorities suspect as the culprit was arraigned in court recently and had his bond established at the $200,000 level. He was reportedly scheduled to appear in court again near the latter part of December.

While the sexual assault and abuse allegations made against this man are serious in nature, he has the right to the same presumption of innocence as any other person in Missouri. Criminal defendants in such cases must make the decision whether to fight the charges or negotiate some sort of plea arrangement with prosecutors. There’s not yet any word on which choice this particular man will make, but it is important that community members do not rush to any sort of judgment based simply on public speculation.

Source: kfvs12.com, “Wardell man accused of sexually abusing patient,” James Long, Dec. 9, 2012