Rosario found guilty on six of eight charges
A Topeka resident charged with the December 2013 rape and attempted murder of a Holton woman was found guilty on six of eight counts by a Jackson County District Court jury on Wednesday.
Chase Rosario stood quietly as District Court Judge Micheal Ireland read a copy of the verdict as submitted by a jury foreman. Rosario, who was charged with attempted capital murder, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, two counts of rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery and criminal threat, was pronounced guilty on all but the attempted murder charge and one rape charge.
The charges against Rosario stemmed from an incident that reportedly occurred overnight on Dec. 19 and 20, 2013, in the home of a Holton woman who had reportedly been in a romantic relationship with Rosario for about three months. The woman testified that at the time of the incident, Rosario became violent after getting “paranoid” in his accusations of infidelity against her.
Ireland set Rosario’s sentencing for Friday, May 15, at which time it was estimated that Rosario would receive a sentence ranging anywhere from 12 to 54 years, according to Jackson County Attorney Shawna Miller. At this point, Rosario has credit for about 15 months already served at detention centers in Jackson and Shawnee counties, Miller said.
The verdict came after two and a half hours of deliberation, following a trial in which defense attorney Ron Evans of Topeka rested Rosario’s case with no testimony in court from the defendant or any other witnesses. The jury also heard the testimony of the Holton woman reported as the victim of the incident twice — once in a video recording of an interview given Dec. 23, 2013, and again in person on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.
The woman testified that Rosario repeatedly abused, beat and raped her at her home in Holton on Dec. 19 and 20, 2013, making her fear for her life and the life of her five-year-old daughter. She said she was able to escape from Rosario while in Topeka on the morning of Dec. 20, 2013, finding her way to Topeka police headquarters.
More in Monday's edition.
