Prineville man accused of abusing girl for nine years

A 42-year-old Prineville man has been arrested on numerous rape and sex abuse counts, accused of molesting a now-17-year-old girl over the past eight years, police said Tuesday.

Prineville police said they began the investigation last Thursday evening, learning the abuse was alleged to have occurred over the past eight years, in several locations throughout Crook County, by a “known offender,” meaning the victim knew the suspect and he was not a stranger.

In their news release, police declined to be more specific, to protect the alleged victim’s privacy, but did say that there are “no other victims reported at this time.”

After an investigation, Robert Haywood Yentzer was arrested during a traffic stop in the 800 block of Northeast Third Street, officer said.

He was taken to the Crook County Jail and booked on 24 counts each of first-degree rape and first- and second-degree sex abuse.

Yentzer’s bail initially was set at $3.3 million, but has since been lowered to $350,000. He is due back in court Friday for arraignment on a formal indictment, court records show.

Crook County Chief Deputy District Attorney Aaron Brenneman, who is handling the case, said the number of charges against Yentzer was reduced from 72 to 13, after reviewing the reports, to make the case more manageable and present a less confusing picture for jurors, should the case go to trial.

That led to the reduction in bail, though Yentzer remained held in jail on Tuesday. He is due back in court for arraignment Friday, after a grand jury reviews the evidence and decides on the number of counts for a formal indictment.