MARION COUNTY — A public defender has been appointed to represent a 61-year-old Centralia man charged in Marion County court with eight felony counts of child sex crimes in two separate cases.

Dennis Tate had indicated Monday in court he would hire a private attorney. However, at a hearing Wednesday the court-appointed him a public defender.

Tate was formally charged in one case Monday with a Class X count of predatory criminal sexual assault and five Class 2 felonies – two for aggravated criminal sexual abuse to a victim under the age of 13 and three for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a family member.

The second case charges him with two Class 2 felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse to a child under the age of 13.

According to court records, five of the charges stem from alleged incidents dating back to 1994 and extending through 2002 for victims who are now adults.

In the second case, the two charges stem from incidents starting in December 2017 until April 2019 involving two victims who are currently juveniles.

Tate is next scheduled to appear in court October 8th for a first appearance with his court-appointed attorney.

Tate continues to be held in the Marion County Jail with bail set at $500,000.