FORT MYERS, Florida — A Lee County judge declined Tuesday to hold Rufus Frank Lowman behind bars without bond, instead setting a combined $250,000 bond in the child sex abuse case against the former Chillicothe physician assistant — but imposed strict conditions that would severely restrict his freedom if he posts bail.
Lowman, 57, of Kingston, appeared before Lee County Circuit Judge Bruce E. Kyle on Tuesday afternoon for a hearing on the State’s Motion for Pretrial Detention. The motion, filed by the State Attorney’s Office, had argued that no conditions of release could adequately protect the community or guarantee Lowman’s appearance at trial. Judge Kyle denied that motion.
Bond was set at $150,000 on the life felony count of lewd or lascivious molestation and $100,000 on the second-degree felony count — a combined $250,000 total.
Court records show that if Lowman posts bond, he will be placed on pretrial supervision with electronic monitoring, required to wear a GPS ankle monitor 24 hours a day, and prohibited from leaving Florida. He is also barred from any contact — direct or indirect — with the victim, her mother, and her oldest son, and must stay away from an address in Lehigh Acres.
A Florida victim’s advocate contacted the victim on Tuesday to inform her of the outcome and the protections now in place.
The Guardian, which first brought the case to the attention of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office after obtaining an audio recording in which Lowman allegedly confessed to the child sexual abuse, received word from the victim’s family Tuesday evening confirming the protection orders were in place for all named parties.
Lowman was arrested last month by U.S. Marshals at his Ross County home and extradited to Florida, where he was taken into Lee County custody on April 3. He has pleaded not guilty to both felony counts.
The Guardian will continue to provide updates on this case as it moves forward.
Lowman is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Scioto Valley Guardian does not identify victims of sexual assault by name.