A 41-year-old former Centralia man who posted $5,000 bond on sex charges and then left the area was back in Marion County Court for the first time since 2005 on Thursday.
A public defender was appointed to represent Francisco Rojas of Elberta, Alabama and now Judge Michael McHaney recused himself from the case since he had been appointed as Rojas’ public defender following his 2005 arrest.
Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies say Rojas was arrested on the outstanding warrant for criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Alabama and then transported back to the Marion County Jail on Wednesday.
A warrant with a bond set at $100,000 had been issued following Rojas’ failure to appear in court in November 2005.
After his initial court appearance on the new charge in 2005, Rojas had a $5,000 cash bond posted by his employer.
Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson says both charges involved alleged sexual activity with a 14-year-old female. At the time, Rojas maintained the sex was consensual. But because the girl was a juvenile it was still against the law.
