From court documents
A Sharp County man was taken into custody this morning, Sept. 17, after a child under the age of 14 reported that he had raped her multiple occasions over the last two or three years.
Michael Hirschler, 37, of Evening Shade has been charged with four counts of rape, a Class Y Felony, each punishable by life in prison.
According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, Lt. Bryce Trivitt was contacted by dispatch on Aug 5 after a woman reportedly had knowledge of the young victim having been raped multiple times and in various places and manners over a long period of time.
The child was interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center in Batesville providing detailed accounts of the rapes and providing information one the victim would know regarding items utilized in the rapes.
After the victim was interviewed, Lt. Trivitt interviewed Hirschler the same afternoon. Trivitt said that during the interview, Hirschler denied the allegations against him. He also maintained a closed posture and would not make eye contact with Trivitt, both indicators, based on his law enforcement training, that the suspect was not being truthful.
Trivitt also obtained a search warrant for Hirschler’s home and truck. Captain Greg Stewart, Seargant Lane King, and Deputy Creston Duncan and Trivitt executed the warrant and confiscated all the items described by the victim.
Later that night, Trivitt was contacted and advised that Hirschler was on his way to turn himself in at the sheriff’s department. After being escorted to the interview room and Mirandized by Trivitt, Hirschler advised that he wished to have an attorney present during the interview. Lt. Trivitt told him to return with his attorney, if he wished, and they would proceed with the interview.
The Probable Cause Affidavit for arrest was issued on Aug. 6 by Trivitt. The felony warrant was granted by Sharp County District Judge Mark Johnson on Sept. 10 and filed with the Circuit Court on Sept. 11.
Hirschler did not return to the turn himself in as indicated and today, was arrested and booked into the Sharp County Detention Center around 11:15 a.m.
Bond has not yet been set in the case.
We will update this article when Hirschler’s bond and court date are set.
Subjects who are arrested and charged with crimes are considered innoncent until proven guilty in a court of law.
