Staff Report

Joshua A. Bammel

WARSAW — A Leesburg man was recently arrested and faces a charge of rape.

Joshua A. Bammel, 39, 2992 E. Armstrong Road, Leesburg, is charged with rape, a level 3 felony; and incest, a level 5 felony.

On Aug. 11, 2020, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s officer responded to a report of a rape that occurred on Aug. 9, 2020. The officer spoke with the victim, who said they were in a tent with Bammel. They told the officer they had consumed alcoholic beverages earlier that day and fell asleep around 8 p.m.

According to court documents, the person said they woke up around midnight with lower abdominal pain and a bruise on the right thigh. They said they had no recollection of any events occurring from the time they fell asleep until they woke up.

The person told the officer they believed Bammel had sexual intercourse without consent. They said Bammel had told them in the past he was going to have sex with them someday. The person also told police Bammel was a registered sex offender.

Bammel and the victim’s relationship is redacted in court documents.

That same day, the person completed a forensic exam at a sexual assault treatment center in Fort Wayne. During the exam, injuries were noted, including bruises to the person’s upper right thigh, as well as visible redness, bruising and injury to the genitalia. The Indiana State Police Laboratory reported the presence of an unknown male’s DNA from the sexual assault kit.

On Dec. 9, 2020, Bammel spoke with a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s detective about the incident. When the detective explained the accusation, Bammel immediately interjected and said he didn’t remember what happened that night. At that time, the detective hadn’t mentioned when or where the incident occurred. Bammel was asked to provide a DNA sample for examination by the Indiana State Police Laboratory.

On Jan. 8, the Indiana State Police Laboratory reported that swabs from the victim contained DNA from Bammel.

Bammel was found guilty of sexual battery in Kosciusko Circuit Court in October 2014. In that case, Bammel received a one-year suspended sentence. Bammel is registered as a sex offender until November 2024.

For the August 2020 case, Bammel was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Nov. 15, with a $20,250 surety and cash bond.