Lynn rape suspect on default for 16 years returns to court

LYNN – A judge set $25,000 cash bail for a city man who appeared in court Friday after jumping bail nearly 16 years ago on a child rape charge.”He has only this matter on his record, but has been in default since March 1998, almost the past 16 years,” Essex Assistant District Attorney Aimee Conway said in Lynn District Court Friday.Leonel Lopez, 41, originally of 80 Sagamore St. #107, walked into court with his attorney Friday almost 16 years after Lopez was supposed to appear for a probable cause hearing on charges of rape of a child and threats.Conway told the court the charges stemmed from December 1997, after a 15-year-old girl told police that Lopez, her cousin’s boyfriend, had come into her room that November and woke her up by grabbing her around the neck and kissing her. Lopez allegedly held the girl’s arms down and raped her.”During this time, the alleged victim was telling him to get off of her, repeatedly, saying he was her cousin’s husband,” Conway told the court. She said Lopez told the alleged victim that his wife “didn’t give him anything for the past week.”Conway said the alleged victim told Lopez to stop or she would “tell everyone.” In response, Lopez allegedly threatened to kill the alleged victim and went to take a shower.Conway said the alleged victim’s boyfriend stopped by the apartment after the incident and immediately noticed something was wrong. But the alleged victim didn’t tell anyone about the incident until later, Conway said.She said a judge ordered $15,000 cash bail at Lopez’ 1998 arraignment and the bail was reduced to $3,000 when reviewed in Superior Court. Lopez subsequently posted the bail, Conway said, but didn’t show up two days later for his court date.Conway requested $100,000 cash bail and conditions of release including GPS monitoring and house arrest.Defense Attorney Christopher Burke said his client had been in Lynn the entire time he was in default and had only lived at two addresses since 1998.”He contacted me a couple of days ago to remove this default, and appeared here this morning,” Burke said. He noted Lopez was married with two kids in Lynn schools, had a steady job and dogs. “I think he is a very good risk to come back to court at this point.”Burke requested Lopez post $1,000 bail and be outfitted with a GPS.Judge Antoinette Leoney noted the 16-year default and that the alleged victim was a minor in setting $25,000 cash bail and conditions of release including GPS monitoring.Lopez is scheduled to return to Lynn District Court Jan. 31.