A 30-year-old Centralia man was charged in Marion County Court on Friday with a Class 1 felony charge of criminal sexual assault.
Deairius Bennett of Robnett is accused of committing a forced sexual act with a 17-year-old Centralia juvenile girl on May 2nd after inviting her into his home to ‘chill’ and ‘hang out’. The girl said she was in the area looking for a friend.
Centralia Police were initially made aware of the incident when an officer was later called to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital. The juvenile indicated she did not know the man’s name or his address.
The juvenile later was able to point out Bennett as the person allegedly involved in the sexual assault when police were in the area of her home on June 14th taking a report about the man allegedly going to businesses demanding money from employees. The man had reportedly given his name and phone number to one of those in the area because he was looking for a bike he had left there five years ago.
With Bennett’s name, Centralia Police set up a photo lineup where the juvenile girl reportedly picked Bennett as the one who sexually assaulted her. Bennett was located by police and taken into custody on Thursday night while a passenger in a traffic stop.
Bennett told police the sex was consensual and he had been seduced. He also said he thought she was 19.
During his first court appearance Friday, State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth asked that Bennett be held without bond. Instead, he was released on pre-trial conditions that barred him from having contact with the juvenile or any person under 18. A public defender was appointed to represent him. A preliminary hearing was set for July 19th.
