Court docs: Tri-State man accused of intimidating magistrate

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A Batavia man is behind bars for allegedly intimidating a Hamilton County magistrate.

Hamilton County Court records show 35-year-old Mark Rouse is facing two counts of menacing by stalking, one count of retaliation and one count of intimidation.

The incident happened inside the Hamilton County Court House June 16.

According to an affidavit, Rouse went to the fifth floor of the court house and placed a deck of cards in an unspecified area.

The top cards contained a Joker and a suit of spades with writing on them that said, “Mark is Here,” the affidavit says.

That same day at 4:15 a.m. and 4:16 a.m., the bailiff of Chief Magistrate Anita Berding was sent two separate voicemails from a Cincinnati-area number with what sounded like gunshots, the document continued.

The affidavit says Rouse had a previous hearing with Magistrate Berding June 13 involving a protection order.

His next court appearance for that case was scheduled for July 31.

Jail records show Rouse was indicted on the intimidation charge and was given a $100,000 bond.

He is expected to appear in court for his arraignment Thursday morning.

FOX19 NOW reached out to the magistrate’s office for comment this morning.

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