A Hamilton County judge yesterday refused to throw out three rape charges against 22-year-old Marcello Whitehead, keeping alive a case that accuses him of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old in October 2020. Whitehead has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape tied to three alleged victims, and prosecutors say new allegations led to fresh interviews and a grand jury presentation last year. Under Ohio law, the charges carry penalties that in some circumstances can include life in prison.
Judge Keeps Case on Track
Judge Katie Casch presided over the motion hearing in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, where Whitehead’s attorneys had pushed to get part of the case dismissed. The court’s public profile lays out Judge Casch’s criminal-docket responsibilities along with the basic ground rules for motion practice and scheduling, according to Hamilton County Courts.
Prosecutors Walk Through a Long Timeline
According to FOX19 Now, prosecutors say a 6-year-old reported an Oct. 2, 2020 assault, but the initial investigation was closed on March 14, 2021 after a negative DNA result and what authorities described as inconsistent interviews. The case did not stay closed for long. New allegations involving two younger juveniles from October through December 2021 were later disclosed, and prosecutors say interviews in February 2025 produced accounts similar to the 6-year-old’s. Those interviews were taken to a grand jury on June 25, 2025, which resulted in renewed charges.
Mayerson Center at the Core of the Investigation
The interviews cited by prosecutors were conducted at the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children, Cincinnati Children’s child-advocacy program that handles forensic interviews and multidisciplinary evaluations. The Mayerson Center’s own materials describe how recorded forensic interviews, coordinated medical exams, and social-work assessments are standard components of local child-abuse investigations. Prosecutors say that work is what led them to reopen the 2020 allegation, according to the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children.
Where Whitehead Is Now
Whitehead has been held at the Hamilton County Justice Center since July 2025. Court records show Judge Casch revoked his probation last year on a prior gross-sexual-imposition conviction and ordered him to serve a three-year sentence. Prosecutors and court filings also note that the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction does not list him as eligible for release on that case until September 2027, according to FOX19 Now.
The Legal Stakes in Ohio
Rape and related sex offenses in Ohio fall under statutes that give judges significant sentencing discretion within set ranges and, in certain aggravated cases, allow for life terms. As outlined in the Ohio Revised Code and the sentencing provisions in the Ohio Revised Code, penalties depend on the defendant’s age at the time of the offense, the victim’s age, prior convictions, and other statutory factors.
