A Durango man accused of sexually assaulting a Fort Lewis College student almost two years ago is scheduled to stand trial in May.
Devin “Ducky” Bond, 22, appeared Friday in the La Plata County Courthouse with his lawyers, Katie Whitney and Brian Schowalter, to confirm they are ready for a six-day trial, scheduled to begin May 13.
In February, defense attorneys asked that the trial be postponed because they had received new information about the case just before the trial was scheduled to start.
Both defense and prosecuting attorneys suggested Friday that they are open to striking a plea deal to avert trial, but neither expressed certainty that a resolution could be reached before mid-May. District Court Judge William Herringer said he was willing to consider a deal up until a jury has been called.
Bond has been charged with sexual assault causing submission by overbearing the victim’s will, a Class 2 felony. He faces a minimum of 16 years in prison, but he could serve the rest of his life in prison if convicted of the felony sexual assault charge.
Prosecutor Sean Murray accused Bond and two co-defendants – Anthony “Izzy” Israel Fitts and James Thomas Zink – of forcing a woman to perform sexual acts at gunpoint inside a car at various locations around Durango.
Fitts and Zink each pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and two counts of attempted sexual assault. Fitts, facing a maximum of 16 years in prison, was sentenced to six years incarceration. Zink received 14 years in prison and 10 years of probation.
bhauff@durangoherald.com
