Ariel Castro Facing 977 Counts Following New Indictment

He'll be arraigned next week.

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Kidnapping suspect Ariel Castro is facing a new indictment that has nearly tripled the number of counts he faces in relation to the kidnapping of three women he held hostage in his Cleveland home for almost a decade. Castro was served with a 329-count indictment in June, but that only covered the first 4 and a half years of their captivity. This additional indictment, which reflects every year that the women remained locked inside of Castro's home, stacks 648 new counts on top of the existing indictment, brining the total to 977. 

Castro has been accused of abducting Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus between 2002 and 2004. He was arrested in May after the women, along with the 6-year-old girl that Castro fathered with Berry, were rescued with the help of Charles Ramsey. Earlier this week, the women addressed the public for the first time since being freed, thanking everyone for their continued support.

With the extra indictment included, Castro now faces 577 counts of kidnapping, 446 counts of rape, seven counts of gross sexual imposition, six counts of assault, three counts of child endangerment, two counts of aggravated murder and a count of possessing criminal tools. Castro pleaded not guilty to the first indictment in June; his next court appearance will come on Jul. 17 when he's arraigned.

[via CNN]

RELATED: Charles Ramsey: The Hero Every City Needs

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