HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 22-year-old man charged with aggravated indecent liberties with a child for alleged touching or fondling of a 9-year-old girl was bound over for trial Wednesday.
Sterling Tucker is accused of committing the touching on numerous occasions between Dec. 25, 2015, and Feb. 15, 2016, when she told someone of the encounters.
He also faces trial on a second charge of blackmail where he allegedly threatened to communicate accusations or statements about the sister of the victim, sending a letter to her employer saying she was in the country illegally. The state says that letter could subject her to ridicule, contempt or degradation. The defense argued that there is no evidence that it was sent by Tucker. The letter had no signature, was type written and had no return address on the envelope.
Tucker is free on bond. He’ll be arraigned on the two charges on May 1 in front of Judge Tim Chambers.
Tucker is currently on community corrections for a drug conviction from January of last year.