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Accused Child Molester Found Fit To Stand Trial

Last updated on Monday, July 15, 2013

(WASHINGTON) - Accused child molester John William Fidler will return to Daviess County where his case will be heard before a jury, after he was pronounced fit for trial.

The administrator at the Logansport State Hospital said Fidler, of Washington, is now able to understand the charges against him and participate in his defense.

The report was sealed but a day later, Superior Court Judge Dean Sobecki ordered Fidler to return to Washington to stand trial. No trial date has been set. Fidler is facing six counts relating to an incident on June 9, 2011.

The Washington Herald reports, Fidler was committed to Logansport on April 17 for 90 days to see if he could be treated in a way to be mentally competent.

In court documents, Fidler was described as a person who had been in institutional care since the age of 15 and was away from the care for two weeks when the alleged acts occurred.

Fidler is charged with two counts of child molesting, a count of child exploitation, a count of child solicitation, a count of criminal confinement and one count of possession of child pornography.

On the evening of June 9, 2011, he is accused of an inappropriate act with a 5-year-old girl and also taking pictures of the girl before a sibling entered the girl's bedroom.

According to court records, Fidler had only visited the family the day before looking for a place to live.

Before his move to Logansport, Fidler was being held by the state because of repeated outbursts at the local jail.

According to a letter to the court from Sheriff Jerry Harbstreit, Fidler had been moved 76 times in the county jail since his arrest. He also had 10 major violations and 13 minor violations while at the jail, ranging from destruction of property to threats to inmates and jail staff.

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