An accused child rapist is facing a retrial this year, but with new charges, a new judge and a new defense attorney.

Last week, Island County Superior Court Judge Carolyn Cliff ruled that the prosecution may amend charges against 73-year-old Charles Ringer to include allegations of a second victim, according to court documents.

Ringer, a former Navy pilot, went on trial in November 2020 on charges of child rape in the second and third degree with aggravating factors. The jury deadlocked at the end of the three-week trial, which was complicated by COVID-19 protocols, and the judge declared a mistrial.

Ringer’s stepdaughter testified during the trial that Ringer raped her hundreds of times during her childhood in Oak Harbor. Ringer’s biological daughter came forward after reading stories about the case in this newspaper and accused him of molesting her when she was 11 years old.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Eric Ohme decided to try the case again, but with charges amended to rape of a child in the first degree, rape of a child in the second degree, rape of a child in the third degree and child molestation in the first degree. The charges are considered to be domestic violence crimes and include aggravating factors that could increase the sentencing range.

Ringer pleaded not guilty to the charges last week. He has maintained his innocence throughout the case.

Judge Alan Hancock oversaw the 2020 trial, but he retired at the end of 2020. Ringer’s primary attorney was Christon Skinner, but he was elected as a judge in Island County Superior Court. Ringer is now represented by attorney Laura Shaver.

Judge Cliff is handling the retrial.

Ohme filed a motion to amend the charges against Ringer on Jan. 31, 2022.

The second alleged victim contacted the first victim in 2019, but the detective in the case had difficulty getting in contact with her because she lives in New York, the pandemic was raging and she had been caring for her ailing mother.

In January 2021, the detective was finally able to get a statement from the woman over the phone. She told the detective that Ringer molested her when they were alone at their home.

Ohme argued that the new charge involving a second victim should be tried with the other counts because it was part of Ringer’s common scheme or plan to sexually assault pubescent daughters.

Ohme pointed to the similarities between the allegations from the two women. Ringer was a father figure to both girls, the sexual contact started when they were about 11 years old, the assaults occurred when they were alone in their homes and both victims described an oppressive level of control that Ringer exerted over them, Ohme said.

Shaver, however, argued that the charges shouldn’t be joined for several reasons. She argued that the allegations in the separate cases are not similar enough to constitute a common plan or scheme. She pointed out that the second victim claimed she was groped once by Ringer, while the other woman testified that she was raped many times over years.

In the end, Cliff ruled that the amended charges were allowed, finding that the allegations were substantially similar and that the probative value outweighs any prejudicial effect.

Cliff agreed with the defense’s request to delay the trial, which had been set for April 12.