A Dover resident who was the victim of a swatting prank in August is now in the Tuscarawas County Jail facing charges of rape and gross sexual imposition involving a child.
Dover Police say the two cases are unrelated as 53-year-old Christopher Arbogast is being held with bail set at 500-thousand-dollars on four counts of rape, first-degree felonies, and four counts of gross sexual imposition, third-degree felonies.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 14th.
Court records say the offenses took place between 2018 and 2024 with a victim between the ages of 7 and 12.
Back on August 28th, Dover police and other law enforcement agencies responded to an East Front Street home after getting a call reporting someone had harmed someone and was threatening others at that address. Police approached the home wearing body armor and carrying assault rifles and riot shields. Multiple times they called for Arbogast to come out of the house with his hands up. However, Arbogast was not there. The call turned out to be a hoax. Dover Police say they have asked the FBI for help in tracking down the caller.
Court records in the criminal case list that East Front Street house as Arbogast’s address. However, other court records indicate he left that address at the end of September.
He was booked into the Tuscarawas County Jail on October 3rd.
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