Published: October 30, 2009 09:25 pm         

Additional charge filed against homeless man

TERRE HAUTE — An additional charge, this one of child molestation, has been filed against a homeless man who was arrested Tuesday on an allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor.

James K. Hines, 53, was arraigned via video in Vigo Superior Court Division 6 on Friday on one count of child molestation, a class-A felony, and one count of sexual misconduct with a minor, a class-B felony.

Judge Michael Lewis read charging information that accused Hines of having sexual intercourse with a minor between Sept. 29 and Oct. 27.

Hines was arrested Tuesday after a child’s mother reported seeing Hines rubbing her child’s body while the child was lying asleep in bed.

At Friday’s hearing, Judge Lewis appointed attorney Mark Mullican as Hines’ public defender and set a Nov. 3 hearing date in order to schedule a trial.

A class-A felony carries a range of imprisonment of 20-50 years, if convicted, while a class-B felony has a 6-20 year sentence range.

Hines is being held in the Vigo County jail with bail set at $75,000 with no 10 percent allowed.