Elyria man charged with raping teen girl in February

An Elyria man has been charged with multiple felony sexual assault charges after a teenager reported he had raped her earlier this year. Brandon Hampton, 38, of Bellfield Avenue, was indicted Sept. 5 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on three counts of rape and three counts of gross sexual imposition, all felonies. He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Sept. 18. Bond was set at $250,000 cash, with conditions that Hampton have no contact with the alleged victim or her family and have a sample of his DNA collected, according to court records. The case is assigned to Judge Donna Freeman's court. A message seeking comment on the case was left Friday for Hampton's attorney. Elyria police officers responded to University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center on Feb. 20 after the department received a report that a teen girl was there following an alleged sexual assault. Chief Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Chris Pierre said the girl, 14, told her mother Hampton had raped her on Feb. 20. She was taken to a hospital for a sexual assault examination. Pierre said Hampton's DNA was found on the alleged victim. The alleged victim told police Hampton assaulted her at least three times, Pierre said. Interviewed by police, Hampton claimed he drank half a gallon of alcohol on Feb. 20 "and had no recollection of the events," Pierre said. Hampton has a prior felony drug possession conviction from 2016 in Common Pleas Court, and two prior DUI charges in Elyria Municipal Court, according to records there. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com