Booking photo for Omar S. Escobar (Courtesy: Cache County Jail.)
LOGAN — A preliminary hearing has been postponed for a 38-year-old Logan man arrested on suspicion of molesting a teenage girl last spring. Omar S. Escobar was booked into the Cache County Jail and later released in August after turning himself into law enforcement.
Escobar appeared in 1st District Court Tuesday afternoon for the preliminary hearing. He has been charged with five counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.
Records show, Cache County deputy attorney Dane Murray told the court there was an evidentiary issue after speaking with the alleged victim.
Defense attorney Darwin Overson said the victim had changed her statement. He explained that prosecutors had made a plea agreement offer, and he asked for time to review the conditions.
Following the hearing, Murray explained that the victim didn’t change the allegations about the case. When he met with her, she became scarred and didn’t want to take the witness stand and confront the suspect. He said the plea deal was offered to protect her from having to testify.
Escobar self-reported the alleged crimes to Logan City police officers just before being booked into jail last summer. The suspect told officers that he had molested the girl on multiple occasions.
Officers later interviewed the alleged victim, who was an acquaintance of Escobar. She provided additional details about the sexual abuse.
Prosecutors believe Escobar turned himself into police after the victim’s family learned about the crimes and threatened to report it.
During Tuesday’s court appearance, Judge Clint Judkins granted Escobar time to consider prosecutor’s offer. He ordered him to appear again in court March 24.
Escobar is currently out of jail after posting a $50,000 bond. He could face up to 15-years in prison if convicted.
will@cvradio.com