(10-9-22) Matthew A. Noble (29) of Hartford City was charged in Blackford Circuit Court with rape, a Level 1 felony carrying up to 40 years in prison and neglect-of-a-dependent count is a Level 6 felony carrying up to 30 months in prison.

The rape count charges against Noble include criminal confinement, strangulation and intimidation. The confinement count is a Level 3 felony with a maximum 16-year sentence.

Noble used belts and extension cords to tie an unnamed female to a bed, then sexually assaulted her…he held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her.

A young child was among those living in the Hartford City man’s house.

“Filth, animal feces, dirty laundry, trash and various other debris littered the floor. The bathtub had approximately six inches of standing filthy water in it.”

Noble is being held without bond in the Blackford County Jail.

In February, he was convicted of possession of meth in Blackford Superior Court. In July that conviction was reduced from felony to misdemeanor status.

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