$1 million bond set for Piqua man accused sexually assaulting toddler

PIQUA — A Piqua man accused of sexually assaulting a toddler last week is being held on a $1 million bond.

Jesse Hartman was arraigned Tuesday morning. There he pleaded not guilty and a judge set his bond at $500,000 for each of the two counts he’s facing, according to Miami County Municipal Court records.

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News Center 7 previously reported that Hartman is facing rape and burglary charges.

Police received a 911 call around 12:40 a.m. Friday from a woman who said an unknown man was sexually assaulting her 3-year-old daughter in an upstairs bedroom.

In a 911 call obtained through a public records request, the woman said she went to check on her daughter because she was supposed to be asleep, but she could hear her bed moving.

“I don’t know how in the world he even got into my house,” the woman said.

She told dispatchers that she tried to chase the man down as he rode away on a bike.

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An investigation led police to identify Hartman as a suspect. He was arrested roughly twelve hours after the sexual assault was reported.

Hartman was charged twice previously with public indecency in Miami County, according to court records. He was on probation of a 2022 conviction at the time on the incident.

Hartman remains booked in the Miami County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court next on June 28.

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