Pierre man plead not guilty of sexual contact with a minor

PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- A Pierre man has pleaded not guilty to a second criminal file in Hughes County accusing him of having sexual contact with a minor.

Matthew Tople also denied a Part II Habitual Offender filed in the second case against him.  Tople pleaded not guilty earlier this year to a criminal file in Hughes County charging him with Sexual Contact With a Child Under 16; Sexual Exploration of a Minor: Hiring for Sexual Activity and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Tople’s attorney David Siebrasse requested a bond reduction to a personal recognizance bond.  Siebrasse told Sixth Circuit Judge Kristina Klinger Tople would have employment if released and a place to stay with relatives and that the would fully comply with conditions set.

Hughes County States Attorney Casey Deibert told Klinger a P-R bond is not appropriate given the allegations and the ages of the alleged victims.  Klinger denied the change in bod citing Tople’s 13 previous failure to appear violations and that the only change in Tople’s situation is possibly having a job available.  Klinger says the current bond protects the community and the alleged victims given the serious nature of the charges.

Siebrasse requested a jury trial, but a tentative date was not set.