LISBON — The jury trial in an alleged rape case against an East Palestine man has been pushed to Feb. 6 after there was no resolution reported in the case.

James E. Browne, 63, East Clark Avenue, appeared Friday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court before Judge Megan Bickerton, escorted by sheriff’s deputies and accompanied by his attorney Joe King.

King had requested the second status hearing after having one Monday, giving him more time to talk with his client, who was transported back to the county from prison where he’s serving a three-year term.

Bickerton had spoken to the attorneys prior to the hearing, confirming on the record that there was no resolution in the case. She said she was unable to try the case next week as previously scheduled for Tuesday, so the new dates were scheduled.

A final status hearing was set for Jan. 29.

Browne was served with the secret indictment in the case in January, charged with rape, a first-degree felony, and gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony. According to the indictment, the alleged rape and sexual contact involved a 6-year-old victim from Oct. 1, 1996 to Dec 31, 1998.

Browne is currently serving a three-year term in prison after being sentenced May 23, 2022 on charges of importuning and two counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. The charges involved him soliciting sexual activity from a law enforcement officer he believed to be 12 years old during a sex for hire sting April 10 and 11 in 2019 and sending that person obscene materials.

His $50,000 cash or surety bond was continued.