A 24-year-old Cincinnati man is facing a felony charge after prosecutors say he had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl in Hamilton County.
Nelson Herrera-Maldonado was arrested yesterday and is charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. A judge set his bond at $7,500 and ordered him to have no contact with the girl identified in the case. He is scheduled to appear in Hamilton County court on July 24.
According to prosecutors, Herrera-Maldonado met the teen while he was living with a friend, and the sexual contact continued after she was identified as being 14, according to court documents. The complaint, filed in Hamilton County Municipal Court, lists a single count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Investigators presented their findings to prosecutors, who then filed the charge, as reported by WLWT.
How Ohio Law Treats the Charge
Under Ohio Revised Code §2907.04, an adult who has sexual conduct with someone who is 13 to 15 years old can be charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, and the base offense is generally a fourth-degree felony. The law increases penalties when the accused is at least 10 years older than the minor or has certain prior convictions, which can bump the charge up to a third- or second-degree felony. The statute’s full breakdown of tiers and potential penalties is available through the Legislative Service Commission at Ohio Revised Code §2907.04.
Defense and Next Steps
Herrera-Maldonado’s defense attorney has told reporters that the defendant did not know the girl, a point that shows up in court filings and has been noted in local reporting. The municipal court is expected to take up the case again on July 24, when lawyers are set to address pretrial conditions and schedule future hearings.
Local Context
Hamilton County prosecutors have brought several high-profile cases in recent months involving alleged sexual conduct with minors, a pattern local outlets have been watching closely. For related local reporting, see earlier Hoodline coverage of similar Hamilton County cases. Anyone who wants to follow the docket for this or other cases can search public records through the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts’ online tool: Hamilton County Clerk of Courts.
