Availability of Public Defender Affecting Sexual Assault Case

An Ashland teen appeared in court Monday on sexual abuse charges and continues to have trouble finding an attorney to represent him. TheDailyPress reports Elijah Fels, now 19 faces four charges of first-degree sexual assault with someone under 13, and one charge of strangulation or suffocation. If convicted, he could serve more than 240 years in prison. The public defender’s office had made more than 100 attempts for find him representation to no avail. The charges involve a young relative and Fel’s ex-girlfriend’s young relative. A status conference is scheduled for the 14th, and until then, Judge Kelly McKnight has ordered that Fels appear in court every week while looking for an attorney.