EDITOR’S NOTE: The Miami Valley Today will not be releasing the name of the suspect in this incident due to the suspect not being charged.

By Sam Wildow

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TROY — Protesters from Logan County came to the Miami County Courthouse on Wednesday to protest a local man they believe to have sexually assaulted a child in Piqua.

The local man has not been charged in connection with these allegations, and family members of the victim expressed frustration at the lack of criminal proceedings.

“We don’t think (Miami County Prosecutor) Tony Kendell is going to prosecute it,” one protester said.

Stephanie Evans, of Logan County, was among the protesters at the courthouse on Wednesday, and she stated her family members and she have been “begging” police, investigators, and Miami County Prosecutor Tony Kendell to file criminal charges against the suspect.

“We have been begging this prosecutor to prosecute him, and he won’t,” Evans said.

Evans, who is related to the victim, said the victim was known to the suspect. The victim previously resided in Miami County.

“We just want him to let the jury decide,” Evans said. She said the suspect has faced other allegations like this, but he has never faced criminal charges for those accusations.

“He (Kendell) will not give us a reason. We’ve gotten no explanation at all,” Evans said.

Kendell, when reached out to for comment, did not provide a specific comment on this case. He stated, “Myself and my criminal staff carefully consider appropriate charges on all cases presented to my office for review. I pursue those charges when there is a good faith basis to do so.”