It has been known for some time that the state was going to amend the complaint against a Wichita man charged here in Reno County.
Steven Beranek was in court Thursday with his attorney to hear the new complaint against him.
The state has added five human trafficking charges to the mix against Beranek who was already charged with abuse of a child, that being a 14-month old, aggravated endangerment of a child, criminal restraint and domestic battery. The case goes back to August of this year. However the abuse of child and aggravated endangerment charges are alleged to have occurred in September of last year and the human trafficking charges allege alternate theories with a time frame between May of 2011 and June of 2013. .
The adult female victim in the case, Mayra Sarai was allegedly held against her will on a farmstead in the county. She at some point was able to get free and showed up at a restaurant in the county. Police and sheriff officials then began the investigation which was made more difficult because of her not speaking English.
Beranek is alleged to have inflicted cruel and inhuman corporal punishment on the 14-month-old child and also placing the child in a situation where the child’s life, body or health could be in danger.
A hearing on the case has been in recess and is expected to resume later this month.