Buchheit bound over for trial
A Netawaka resident charged with several sex-related crimes involving a child will stand trial on an amended set of charges, according to Jackson County District Court records.
Scott James Buchheit, 35, now stands charged in district court with two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, five counts of rape — one of which involved someone under the age of 14 at the time — two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and one count each of indecent solicitation of a child and theft. Buchheit had originally been charged with six counts each of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy and one count of theft.
An amended complaint detailing the new charges against Buchheit was filed Tuesday by Jackson County Attorney Shawna Miller during a preliminary hearing in district court, at which time Buchheit pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. It was determined that there was enough evidence to merit a trial, it was reported.
Motions by Miller and defense attorney Russell Roe of Onaga were to be filed by Monday, June 1, it was reported. A motion hearing has been scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday, June 26, at which time a trial date will be set.
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 January of 2015 involving a girl who is now 17 years old, it was reported.
During the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, the alleged victim, who formerly lived in the same residence as Buchheit, reportedly testified that she was 9 when the actions that Buchheit was charged with began to occur.
Buchheit was taken into custody Feb. 10 by Jackson County authorities at the Plaza Inn Motel on south Topeka Boulevard, after 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, which was later recovered in Topeka, it was reported.
Buchheit remains at the Jackson County Detention Center on $300,000 cash or commercial surety bond.
