HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A 47-year-old Wichita man who was arrested back in July for an incident at Cheney Lake was scheduled to be back in Reno County District Court for a preliminary hearing in the case, however, the state requested a continuance.

Charles Lynn Gray is charged with criminal restraint, distribution of drugs, possession of drugs, no tax stamp and personal use drug paraphernalia.

The continuance request was granted over the objection of the defense. Judge Joe McCarville reset the hearing for Nov. 6. The judge noted that because of lack of funding for the KBI lab, it takes them much longer to process drugs and complete the lab reports.

Judge McCarville also granted a defense request for a reduction in bond, from $7,500 to $2,500, after Assistant District Attorney Daniel Gilligan told the court of the substantial criminal history of the defendant.

The case against Gray begins with Reno County Sheriff Deputies being called to the Cheney Lake area for a report of a disturbance. Allegedly, Gray had picked up the victim in Wichita and drove her to the lake. She alleges that she became uncomfortable with him because he was using drugs. At some point, she lost consciousness and, when she woke up, she didn’t know where she was.

Gray allegedly wouldn’t allow the woman to use her cell phone, allegedly throwing it out the window of his vehicle. He’s also accused of not being willing to take her anywhere and eventually drove off, leaving her. She was able to get to someone who had a phone and called for help.

When deputies arrived, they did a search of Gray’s vehicle and allegedly found the drugs, some considered to be a seller’s quantity.