2 of 3 rape suspects jailed

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By Danielle Wilson, Staff Writer 1:00 AM Thursday, June 4, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — Two men are behind bars and police are still looking for a third, Donald A. Gibbs, who is wanted in the sexual assault of a 30-year-old Middletown woman.

Brandy Lynn Taylor, 35, was arrested Tuesday, June 2, in Trenton and charged with rape, a first-degree felony, said Middetown Police Detective Steve Winters.

On May 28, police arrested William Highley, 31, and charged him with rape for an assault that police said occurred May 23 at Highley’s residence in the 600 block of Crawford Street.

Middletown Municipal Court Judge Mark W. Wall had signed search warrants Monday, June 1, for cell phone records for Taylor and Gibbs, 30, of Middletown, who Winters said is also a suspect in the assault.

According to Middletown police, a woman reported she was raped after she got a ride on Charles Street with some men she didn’t know to Highley’s residence. The woman said she was given two to three Xanax prescription pills and was drinking alcohol in the house, where six men were present.

Three of the men told police the woman was raped by the other three men after she passed out. Winters said the three witnesses left the house because they didn’t like what was going on, but when they returned, the woman was still being assaulted.

Taylor and Highley are being held on $50,000 bond each in the Middletown City Jail. Both are scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. Friday for preliminary hearings in Middletown Municipal Court.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2511 or dwilson@coxohio.com.

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