ELYRIA — A 19-year-old Lorain man went on trial Wednesday on charges he forced himself on a 6-year-old girl last summer.
Dennis Calhoun Jr. could get life in prison if convicted of the rape and gross sexual imposition charges.

The alleged victim in the case, now 7, testified that Calhoun would take her into her room while he was baby-sitting her at her family’s Amherst Township home and force her to perform oral sex on him.

Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Tom Cahill said during his opening statement to county Common Pleas Judge James Burge, who is hearing the case instead of a jury, that Calhoun also had sexual contact with the girl’s then-4-year-old brother.
He said Calhoun threatened to spank the girl if she told anyone about their sexual contact.

But defense attorney Dave Nehr said the girl never complained about Calhoun until after he had a dispute with her mother about being paid for the work he did.

Cahill, however, said Calhoun was caught trying to steal video game systems from the family’s home to settle up on the money he said he was owed and was fired because of it.

Nehr also said that Calhoun had threatened to report the victim’s mother to county Children Services because he believed she was using drugs.

“This case centers on a dispute between (the mother of the victim) and my client,” Nehr said.

The trial resumes today.

Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147 or bdicken@chroniclet.com.

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