Lang
11/6/21
A trial date has been pushed back for a local transient accused of burglary and attempted sexual assault.
Last summer 53-year-old Gary Leon Duffel II entered a not guilty plea to charges of 1st Degree Burglary, Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse and 5th Degree Criminal Mischief. Judge Lars Anderson initially set a trial date of November 16th, but at a Friday court hearing judge Andrew Chappell pushed that date back to January 25th. A case management conference is now set for December 10th.
Coralville Police say Duffel forced his way into an apartment on 23rd Avenue just before 12:30am on July 4th with the intent to have sexual intercourse with a woman inside. Duffel then allegedly tried to remove the woman’s clothing against her will. As the woman struggled to get away from him, Duffel allegedly broke a chair.
Duffel later told police that he went to the apartment with the intent of having sex with the woman, but she told police she didn’t know Duffel, and had only met him earlier that evening. Duffel later admitted that he didn’t even know the woman’s name prior to going to her apartment.
If convicted on all charges, Duffel faces a maximum of over 27 years in prison.