Man Accused of Raping Nine Women He Met Through Internet
Originally published by The Associated Press, July 31, 2002
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — A man accused of preying on girls and women he met through the Internet raped at least nine of them over the last four years, authorities say.
James Comfort, who was indicted in June on charges of raping five girls ages 11 to 17, was charged by a second grand jury in July with raping four other girls 14 to 19, prosecutor Douglas Randall revealed.
Comfort, 27, arranged to meet the girls through an online chat room and attacked them at his apartment in a Rochester suburb, investigators said.
He pleaded innocent to the first batch of charges and was arraigned Wednesday on the others.
Comfort was freed last month on $26,000 bail, and Judge Richard Keenan left the bail amount unchanged Wednesday.
He is charged with 28 counts of rape, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, Comfort could be sentenced to up to 50 years in prison.
