Meigs Man Arraigned on Rape Charges

$500,000 Bond Set

POMEROY, Ohio – A Meigs County man charged with multiple counts of rape was arraigned January 18, 2018 with a bond of $500,000 set.

Brice Hupp, 18, was indicted by a Meigs County Grand Jury on January 10, 2018 with four counts of Gross Sexual Imposition, all felonies of the third degree, and five counts of Rape, all felonies of the first degree.

Hupp appeared for arraignment before Judge I. Carson Crow in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas. Hupp was appointed Britt Wiseman as counsel for the defendant and a not guilty plea was made for the arraignment proceeding.

A special prosecutor from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case. Angela Canepa had asked for an initial bond of $250,000 when Hupp was originally charged with one count of rape. Canepa asked the court for the bond to be increased now the one charge has become a nine count indictment. Judge Crow set the bond at $500,000 with 10 percent permitted.

Judge Crow read through the charges. All of the counts relate to a juvenile under the age of 13, specifically a juvenile that was seven at the time of the alleged incidents.

Hupp is next scheduled for an initial pretrial for February 6, 2018. A final pretrial is set for February 22, and a trial date is set for March 1, 2018.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. An indictment and arraignment are just part of the legal process as a case moves forward through the court system.