Charges dismissed against 2 Lincoln men initially accused in teen sex assault; 2 others sentenced

Aug. 15—Prosecutors have dropped charges against two Lincoln men initially accused with two others of holding a teen runaway and sexually assaulting her.

The other two — Talon Dennis and Marcelino Falcon — since have been sentenced on reduced charges of child abuse, Dennis a felony charge and Falcon a misdemeanor.

Dennis is serving a three-year prison sentence, and Falcon a one-year jail sentence.

Last year, Lincoln police arrested Dennis and Falcon, along with Ricky Ossler and Gianni Phillips, all on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment on the 18-year-old's allegations.

The teen told police she had met Dennis on social media May 14, 2021, and went to his apartment, where he and others were using drugs and she felt pressured into using them, too.

She said when she asked to leave, they wouldn't let her, and one of the men told her to watch his children, clean and cook. She told police two days later she was intoxicated and woke to being sexually assaulted.

On Monday, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the charges against Phillips. They'd previously dismissed the case against Ossler. Both denied the allegations.

Phillips' attorney, Trevin Preble, said Phillips was persistent from the beginning that he didn't do it and asserted his rights, and now an innocent man won't be going to prison.

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