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Sex assault charge dropped against teen

An 18-year-old Arkansas man arrested New Year’s Eve for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in the bathroom of a downtown Aspen bar will not be prosecuted, according to court documents.

The man, who was not identified by The Aspen Times at the request of police, was initially charged with sexual assault after other patrons at the bar saw him with the woman in a bathroom stall. However, further investigation found that contact between the two was consensual and that no sexual assault occurred, prosecutor Don Nottingham said Monday.

Nottingham emphasized that the District Attorney’s Office takes allegations of sexual assault seriously, though that was not what happened in this case.



In other court news Monday:

District Court Judge Chris Seldin denied a motion to reduce bond for a man arrested earlier this month for allegedly burglarizing and later robbing at knifepoint a Basalt marijuana dispensary.




A public defender representing Hayden May, 26, asked Seldin to reduce his client’s bond from $30,000 to a personal recognizance bond, meaning he could be released from jail and post no money.

Nottingham objected, pointing out that May was convicted of two felonies in connection with the armed robbery of an Aspen pot shop four years ago and now faces four counts of aggravated robbery that require mandatory prison if he’s convicted.

Seldin asked if public defender Alex Haynes had any more information about an alibi another lawyer talked about during a court appearance two weeks ago. Haynes said he didn’t.

The judge then said he was concerned about community safety if May is released and declined to alter the bond.

May allegedly broke into Roots Rx in Basalt on Feb. 18 but didn’t take anything after he triggered alarms. He then allegedly returned March 2 and stole nearly $3,300 from employees after threatening them with a pocketknife.

jauslander@aspentimes.com

Crime


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