Bond set at $200,000 for rape suspect

Mar. 18—Bond was set at $200,000 for Matthew Rutter at his arraignment earlier this week.

According to court records, Rutter was arraigned on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, a first-degree felony, and three counts of gross sexual imposition, third-degree felonies. Bond was set at $200,000 cash or surety.

Rutter was indicted in June of 2022, according to court records. In July of that year, the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force began searching for Rutter, according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals. He was sighted in Pennsylvania and West Virginia before being found in the Ocala National Forest in Florida on Feb. 14, according to the release.

Rutter is accused of raping a minor and having sexual contact with a minor from January of 2017 to January of 2019, according to the release.