COLORADO CITY — A young Colorado City woman is being prosecuted for the alleged sexual abuse of a female teenager. The 14-year-old victim alleged she was groped sexually, and kissed by Annalisia Hope, 24.
The victim told investigators the alleged crimes occurred twice in March and again in June at Hope’s home in the 400 block of N Lauritzen Street.
“Hope denied the allegations and blamed the victim for forcing herself onto Hope,” Colorado City police department detective M. Villarrel said in a Probable Cause statement. It said that the teenager also alleged that Hope had threatened her against making any statement to law enforcement.
During a July 17 hearing, defense attorney Bob Heieck said the alleged victim was intoxicated when she claimed she was abused. And he challenged the veracity of purported witness corroboration.
“They have not seen my client get flirty with the alleged victim. No one has,” Heieck told Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle. “There’s not much strength in the state’s case. The case looks pretty week. I don’t see any likelihood of conviction here.”
Judge Carlisle lowered bond to $2,000.
Heieck said his client was abused as a child, that her husband was murdered in April and that she suffers from mental health issues.
Hope faces a settlement conference the morning of August 13, with a pre- trial conference following, if necessary, on the same day.
