Rittman man charged with rape

RITTMAN — A 32-year-old Rittman man faces one charge of rape, a first-degree felony, after police say he admitted to abusing a juvenile female relative.

Daniel Perdue, of South 1st Street, remains in the Wayne County Jail in lieu of a $250,000 cash or surety bond, according to court documents. Rittman police arrested Perdue Thursday, Oct. 4, after he came into the police station and turned himself in, Police Chief Ray Arcuri said.

Arcuri said Perdue “came to the station on his own around 7 p.m. and reported he wanted to confess something.”

“We were not investigating it. He was not on our radar,” before Perdue came to the station, Arcuri said. Arcuri added that the situation was unusual because police were not aware of the allegations before Perdue presented himself to police.

According to court documents, Perdue told police that he had sexual contact with a female relative when she was between the ages of 5 and 11. Police also interviewed the alleged victim, who confirmed the abuse, according to the affidavit in the case.

Arcuri said he could not comment further on the case because police are still investigating. He did say that the Wayne County Children’s Advocacy Center is also involved in the case.

Perdue appeared in Wayne County Municipal Court on Thursday morning and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. His attorney, Stacie Haneline of the public defender’s office, asked Judge Michael Rickett to reduce Perdue’s bond.

“Mr. Perdue has no prior convictions whatsoever,” Haneline said. “He also has resided in Rittman for the past 13 years and was working full-time at Frito-Lay before he became incarcerated. He also promises to show up to any and all court dates if he is released.”

Rickett declined to reduce Perdue’s bond, and said the case will now move to the Court of Common Pleas. No further court hearings have been scheduled yet, according to online court records.

— Reporter Jack Rooney can be reached at 330-287-1645 or jrooney@the-daily-record.com. He is on Twitter at twitter.com/?RooneyReports.

CREDIT: JACK ROONEY