District Attorney Keith Schroeder has declined to file any charges, “sexual in nature,” against a 21-year-old Hutchinson man police say broke into a home and inappropriately touched a 10-year-old girl and two 9-year-old’s.
Schroeder says at this point, there is insufficient evidence to support that the touching by Tyler Ford which occurred with the three young girls was sexual in nature, or that it was meant for sexual pleasure. He says one child was touched maybe on her back, and another on the ankle.
He did charged Ford with aggravated burglary for breaking into the home in the 200 block of South Monroe. He alleges that this was done with the intent to commit theft, felony or sexual battery. This charge carry’s a sentencing range of 31-to-136 months depending on his criminal history. Apparently the burglary and touching of the girls happened when the kids were in bed.
The girls’ father chased Ford from the home and police later found him walking in the area of Avenue A & Monroe. They also found his cell-phone in the child’s room. He was unknown to the family, but apparently lives within a block of their home. This all occurring back on Sunday September 15.
Wichita Attorney Alice Osburn assigned to the case was not in court for the hearing.
Schroeder told the media that he simply couldn’t file the indecent liberties charges because of insufficient evidence at this point, however says that can always change. He says it warrants further investigation.
In court, Ford asked for a reduction in bond, but Schroeder told Magistrate Judge Randy McEwen that he doesn’t believe it matters at this point because he faces probation violations in two other cases. He’s been on community corrections for a burglary conviction from August of 2012, and a burglary and theft conviction from January of this year. One of those cases is scheduled for a hearing Friday afternoon in front of Judge Joe McCarville.
Judge McEwen lowered the 85-thousand dollar bond to 20-thousand dollars and set the case for a waiver-status docket on October 15, at 8:15 a-m.
Schroeder commented that the defendant is lucky he wasn’t shot.