Crime & Safety

Preliminary Hearing Adjourned, Bond Raised for Trenton Business Owner Charged with Rape

Judge Jennifer Coleman Hesson of the 33rd District Court in Woodhaven said she would never have set the man's bond at ten percent of $50,000.

The preliminary examination of the evidence for a 48-year-old Trenton business owner charged with the rape of a 15-year-old girl was adjourned Tuesday at 33rd District Court in Woodhaven.

The preliminary hearing was set for 2:30 p.m. Jan. 3.

Rakeshkumar B. Patel of Canton pleaded not guilty to a charge of selling/furnishing alcohol to a minor. A pre-trial date could not be obtained for this charge at press time.

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Patel was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a juvenile between the ages of 13 to 15, one count of criminal sexual conduct of force or coercion, and one count of selling/furnishing alcohol to a minor after .

Patel's attorney, Daniel Hilf, said the alleged incident took place at the .

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Each count of criminal sexual conduct with a juvenile between the ages of 13 to 15 carrie a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Judge Jennifer Coleman Hesson granted the adjournment after Hilf requested it for purposes of discovery.

Hesson raised Patel's bond from 10 percent of $50,000 to 10 percent of $75,000.

Patel posted an additional $2,500 to satisfy the increase in bond and to avoid being taken into police custody. He posted $5,000 on the day of his arrest.

An out-county prosecutor set the initial bond following Patel's arrest, and Hesson said she "would have never set the bond at that."

Hesson advised Patel he was not allowed to have unsupervised contact with a minor and he cannot contact the girl, her family or friends.

Hesson said Patel could not work the cash register at the food mart by himself, "where there is going to be minors coming in and out of that store." Patel is required to have a third party present while working in the store, according to Hesson.

Hilf said he did not have a comment on behalf of Patel.


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