A man charged last week in Dayton, Tenn., on multiple child sexual assault counts was already set for trial on more than 10 similar counts.
Daniel Kendall, 45, who now lists an Athens, Tenn., address, was booked April 7 on felony counts including rape of a child and two counts of aggravated sexual battery, said Rocky Potter, Rhea County Sheriff's Office Family Violence Task Force investigator. The victim is a girl younger than 8.
Kendall, who lived in Spring City at the time of the incidents, is being held on a $250,000 bond. He was free on a $100,000 bond on charges filed Aug. 4, in connection with another victim, a boy younger than 8, Potter said.
Kendall was charged in that case with 10 counts of aggravated sexual battery, aggravated assault by strangulation and child abuse, Potter said. None of the children have had contact with Kendall since the first reported sexual assault, he said. The strangulation charge stems from the child being choked until he lost consciousness.
Now the two victims and several other children who had contact with Kendall all live outside Rhea County, Potter said.
Potter said the victims gave similar accounts to officials at the Child Advocacy Center in Chattanooga when relaying what allegedly occurred.
Rhea County officials said Kendall has a criminal record, including charges that go as far back as 2007 for drug possession, drug paraphernalia and theft. There were no violent or sexual assault charges until last August.
Potter said he was unsure how the recent charge will impact the pending trial date.
Twelfth Judicial District Attorney General Mike Taylor said Thursday that the trial might continue as scheduled.
"It's possible that might be affected by the new indictment, but I don't know," Taylor said.
Kendall faces court hearing dates on April 27 and May 5, jail records show.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.