Cleveland kidnapping suspect indicted on 329 criminal counts

The Cleveland man accused of kidnapping and raping three women while keeping them trapped in his home for a decade was indicted on 329 criminal counts on Friday, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.

Among the charges levied against 52-year-old Ariel Castro were 177 counts of kidnapping, 139 counts of rape, seven counts of gross sexual imposition, three counts of felonious assault, one count of possession of criminal tools and one count of aggravated murder for the unlawful termination of one of his victims' pregnancy.

The indictments cover the period between August 2002, when Castro's alleged first victim, Michelle Knight, went missing, until February 2007, at the age of 21. Then-16-year-old Amanda Berry disappeared in April 2003. The third woman, Gina DeJesus, was 14 when she was reported missing in April 2004.

Castro is being held on $8 million bond. A trial judge will be assigned when he is arraigned in about a week.

The three women were found and rescued on May 6 after Berry was able to escape with the help of Charles Ramsey and other neighbors.

[Image via Agence France-Presse]