LISBON –A Salem man accused of rape and multiple other sex-related acts against two children was ordered evaluated for competency during a hearing Friday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Mark E. Knight, 57, North Ellsworth Avenue, appeared via video from the county jail for the status hearing before Judge Megan Bickerton.

His defense attorney, Terry Grenga, had filed a motion last month requesting a psychiatric evaluation and reiterated that request in court. When asked by the judge, county Assistant Prosecutor Steve Yacovone said he had no objection. Bickerton granted the request to check Knight’s competency, ordering the evaluation be conducted by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio.

No hearings are set for the case at this point, pending the completion of the evaluation. The case against Knight’s co-defendant in the case, Jan M. McHenry, 40, North Ellsworth Avenue, also remains pending, awaiting the results of an evaluation for competency.

The state was also represented by county Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Bonish.

Knight is facing 15 counts while McHenry is facing 12 counts related to the incidents over multiple years. Both remain held in the county jail, with their $100,000 cash or surety bonds continued. Both cases are before Bickerton, with defense attorney James Wise representing McHenry.

Both Knight and McHenry are each charged with three counts of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition for allegedly having sexual contact with a child from Nov. 16, 2014 through Nov. 15, 2017 beginning when the child was just seven years old.

They’re each charged with three counts of rape, a first-degree felony, for allegedly having sexual conduct with that same child from Nov. 16, 2017 through Nov. 15, 2020 beginning when the child was 10 years old.

Both are charged with six counts each of sexual battery, a third-degree felony, for allegedly having sexual conduct with that same child from Nov. 16, 2020 through Nov. 15, 2023 beginning at age 13 and with a different child from April 10, 2019 through Nov. 25, 2025 beginning when that child was 10 years old.

Knight is facing an additional three counts of gross sexual imposition for allegedly having sexual contact with the first child from Nov. 16, 2017 through Nov. 15, 2020.