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MITCHELL — Two Mitchell women who were charged for their roles in the rape of a 15-year-old victim after allegedly punching the victim unconscious pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the charges stemming from the incident.
Elgina Callahan, 48, and Janis Fasthorse, 46, both of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to several felony counts of rape charges resulting from the alleged incident that occurred on July 13 in Mitchell.
According to an arrest affidavit, on July 14, a 15-year-old victim reported being raped by two individuals, later identified as Callahan and Fasthorse, the previous day in Mitchell. Authorities were told one of the two suspects punched the victim in the face and was knocked out prior to the rape.
The victim woke up to Callahan and Fasthorse performing sexual acts on the victim, an affidavit alleges.
While both Callahan and Fasthorse were charged with fourth-degree rape, Callahan was the suspect who admitted to allegedly “engaging in sex” with the 15-year-old victim, an arrest affidavit says.
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Callahan told authorities the sex acts, which she allegedly admitted to, were consensual, according to the affidavit. Both Callahan and Fasthorse claimed they did not know the victim was 15 years old, police reports say.
Fasthorse was charged with second-degree rape through force, coercion or threats, a Class 1 felony that carries a maximum sentence of up to 50 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, fourth-degree rape of a victim under the age of 16, pimping and solicitation of a minor. She pleaded not guilty to all charges.
For her role in the alleged rape, Callahan was charged with fourth-degree rape of a victim under the age of 16, a Class 3 felony that carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine, and prostitution, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
During Tuesday’s Davison County felony court proceedings, Judge Chris Giles denied modifying the bond for both Callahan and Fasthorse, citing the “serious nature of the charges” they are facing.
The two remain in custody at the Davison County jail with a $10,000 cash bond. Callahan and Fasthorse are scheduled to face a jury trial in mid-October unless they change their pleas prior to the trial date.
