Attorney Morgan Caruso talks to Kenneth Nitso prior to testimony Tuesday in his trial for rape of a minor. The Trumbull County jury is expected to get the case sometime today. Staff photo / Guy Vogrin

WARREN — A Hubbard police detective told a Trumbull County jury Tuesday that his investigation of the rape of a girl centered only on defendant Kenneth Nitso — because there were no other suspects.

“The defendant himself could not name anybody else who could have done this,” said detective Sgt. Michael Banic during the second day of the trial in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Andrew D. Logan told jurors they could expect to start deliberating sometime today.

Nitso, 33, of Highland Drive in Hubbard, is facing 14 charges, including five counts of rape that carry potential life sentences. The trial began Monday morning with jury selection.

In addition to the Hubbard detective, jurors heard from a nurse practitioner from Akron Children’s Hospital’s Child Advocacy Center in Boardman who examined the victim, who is now 13 years old.

The indictment alleges that Nitso from about May 2016 through May 2021 committed many sexual acts.

In reading from the interview with the victim at the Child Advocacy Center, Amanda McAllen, NP, said the girl said the sexual abuse “happened about a million times.”

McAllen read in quoting the victim: “It happened almost every day.”

After one incident, the victim told investigators that Nitso offered her $40 to keep the abuse quiet. After another incident, the victim said the defendant bought her a king-sized Kit Kat candy bar at a gas station, McAllen testified.

McAllen told jurors she was not the one to question the victim during the “forensic” interview, but she did do a physical examination of the girl.

That exam turned up no injuries, which is not uncommon in abuse victims, she said.

“I’ve done over 200 of these (exams) and in less than 5 percent have I found any evidence of physical harm,” McAllen told jurors.

Banic testified he first learned of the case on Feb. 16, 2022, shortly after a school resource officer had reported the alleged abuse to the girl. He said his investigation focused solely on Nitso because the victim had named him as the abuser. During cross examination, Banic said he didn’t investigate anyone else because Nitso himself was asked if anyone else could have done these acts and he told the detective no.

Banic said he also was present at the Child Advocacy Center during the interview of the victim and viewed the proceedings through a two-way mirror.

Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Gabriel Wildman said he expects to call one more witness about 9 a.m. today, and the defense will then get a turn at calling witnesses. It is not known if Nitso is expected to testify in his own defense.