Minor Sex Trial Ends with Hung Jury on One Count, Not Guilty on Other
Posted
Kaitie Vanderpool-
Wednesday’s trial for a Warsaw man facing two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor ended with a hung jury and one verdict of not guilty. After five hours of deliberation, the jury foreman reported to Superior Court I Judge Duane Huffer that the jury could not produce a unanimous verdict for count I of sexual misconduct with a minor. The charge alleged the defendant, Franklin “Frankie” Engle, 36, Warsaw, had both touched inappropriately and had sex with a 15-year-old girl in May 2012. The jury foreman stated further deliberation would not change the jury’s hung status. On count II of sexual misconduct with a minor, a charge that alleged Engle had touched a 14-year-old girl inappropriately in June 2012, the jury found Engle not guilty. In response to the hung verdict, prosecuting attorney Michael Miner can now decide to recharge Engle with the same crime, sexual misconduct with a minor, a Class B felony, charge him with a lesser crime or rest the case. The verdicts came after Engle took the stand Wednesday morning and denied all allegations against him. Engle stated that while he was alone with both girls at the time of the alleged incidents, he never had sex with or touched them inappropriately. Engle also denied ever communicating electronically with minors about sexual conduct. The charges Engle faced stemmed from an investigation in November 2012 when Engle's ex-wife contacted the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and told police she found "disturbing messages" on her personal computer that led her to believe Engle had been having an inappropriate sexual relationship with more than one minor female. Some messages, sexual in nature, were between Engle and what appeared to be a 12-year-old female. The messages also indicated Engle had sexual encounters with other minor females. The investigation led police to two potential victims, one of whom initially denied any sexual encounter with Engle, though later alleged Engle had touched her inappropriately in June 2012. The other admitted to her mother Engle had touched her inappropriately and had sex with her at a Memorial Day party in May 2012. Both girls and their mothers had testified against Engle on Tuesday.
