A 46-year-old Marion man is charged with one count of rape, 11 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and one count of aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim.
Kenneth Newell was charged Dec. 19 and has a preliminary hearing set for 9 a.m. Feb. 27 in the 8th Judicial District.
The rape charge, according to the complaint filed in December, alleges that Newell committed the act between March 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2013, on an child, now 10 years old.
The charges of aggravated indecent liberties alleges that on 11 different dates between March 16, 2014, and May 24, 2014, Newell engaged in lewd fondling or touching of the 10-year-old.
Allegation of aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim occurred between March 16, 2014, and May 31, 2014, according to the complaint.
Newell, who was a Marion County dispatcher and also an EMT and volunteer firefighter, is currently in the McPherson County Jail.
Marion County Sheriff Rob Craft said there are several reasons why Newell was not being housed in the Marion jail.
?We just wouldn?t normally put somebody familiar with the jail or facility in that same facility whether this facility or a state facility,? he said.
If somebody working at the El Dorado Correctional Facility was arrested, he explained, that person would be put in a different facility, too.
?The big thing is security because that person has knowledge of the system and personnel,? Craft said. ?He could either use that knowledge in some way or pass that knowledge on to other inmates in that facility.?
Another concern is if someone worked in a particular facility, he would have familiarity with personnel.
?By removing the person from their environment, he said, it takes any possibility of favoritism out of the picture,? he said.
The Marion County Commissioners were alerted to a possible budgetary issue associated with Newell?s situation because Craft said he didn?t have a budget line item for this.
Newell is being jailed in McPherson at $30 a day, which Craft said is a good deal from what they normally have for a fee.
Craft said he turned over all reports on Newell?s case to the Marion Police Department because of his association with Craft?s office. Newell, as a dispatcher, was associated with the Marion County Sheriff?s Department.
The Marion police also knew Newell from their working environment with him, which is why the Kansas Bureau of Investigation agreed to take over the case.
?For everyone?s welfare, it was turned over to the KBI,? Craft added.
Newell has been arraigned and Melissa Johnson, assistant attorney general-criminal division, is prosecuting.
Newell?s attorney, Steve Atherton, is in Emporia.
