Buchheit hearing postponed

The preliminary hearing for a Netawaka resident charged with several sex-related crimes involving a child has been postponed, with the new date depending on the outcome of another Jackson County District Court case, according to Jackson County Attorney Shawna Miller.

Scott James Buchheit, 35, faces a new preliminary hearing date of either 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14 if the unrelated jury trial set for that day is resolved, Miller said. Otherwise, the hearing will scheduled for 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 14.

Buchheit was arrested at a Topeka hotel in February on charges including six counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, six counts of rape and one count of felony theft. The sex charges involve alleged incidents between August of 2008 and October of 2013 involving a girl who is now 17 years old, it was reported.

Buchheit was taken into custody Feb. 10 by Jackson County authorities at the Plaza Inn Motel on south Topeka Boulevard, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse. It was reported that he surrendered to Topeka police after seeing himself as the subject of a community-wide alert on a TV news program.

The theft charge stemmed from a report that Buchheit may have been seen driving a stolen Polaris Ranger side-by-side UTV, according to Morse. The UTV was later recovered in Topeka.

Miller also said that Buchheit — who is currently being represented by Onaga attorney Russell Roe — had requested a new attorney, but it was noted during Monday’s hearing that he had changed his mind.

Buchheit remains at the Jackson County Detention Center on $300,000 bond, it was reported.