Preble Co. man accused of pointing gun at girl during sexual assault; facing over 20 charges

WEST ALEXANDRIA — A Preble County man is facing over 20 sexual assault charges accused of raping two young girls over a five year span, according to court records.

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Carl Bechtol, 52, of West Alexandria remains booked in the Preble County Jail Monday after he was indicted on 21 sexual assault charges including seven rape charges, court records obtained by News Center 7 show.

Bechtol is accused of sexually assaulting two minors, both known to him, in multiple instances between March 2017 and February 2022, court records show. In one instance in 2017, one girl alleged Bechtol pulled out a gun and threatened her before forcing her to perform a sexual act, investigators said in the court documents.

Bechtol has remained booked in the Preble County Jail since his arrest March 19. His bond was set at $250,000 in a March hearing before a grand jury later indicted him on the 21 charges last week.

Bechtol is due in court next for a pretrial hearing May 12, two weeks before his jury trial is currently scheduled to start. According to court records his trial is now scheduled to start May 23.

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