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    Miguel Lopez
August 27, 2010

Lopez fails to appear for trial

Rape case 7 years old

Staff Writer The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — In 2003, Miguel Lopez was arrested and charged with rape of a 13-year-old. Then he disappeared until earlier this year, when investigator James Dixon tracked him and he was arrested.

But Lopez, 25, failed to show Thursday in Stephens County  District Court for a jury trial and now a warrant has again been issued for his arrest, said First Assistant District Attorney Dennis Gay.

Gay said there have been a few hearings this year, so it was a little surprising that the defendant failed to show up for the trial.

“A warrant has been issued for his arrest and bond was increased to $125,000. When he’s arrested, we will try it again,” Gay said.

Lopez was 18 when the alleged crime took place. And though he failed to show up, his alleged victim, now 20, was at the courthouse, and ready to testify.

“It doesn’t affect the evidence, just a delay in the process,” Gay said.

Gay said that it was “good old fashioned police snooping” that helped Dixon in finding Lopez, in Ardmore. Dixon normally tracks down people who have outstanding bogus check warrants, but sometimes comes across other cases of interest. The Lopez case was one of those, Gay said. The warrant was faxed to the authorities in Ardmore, who arrested Lopez, Gay said.

“Now he doesn’t show up for trial. There is an expense to the court, and we had everything ready,” Gay said.

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