Sex abuse charges against Joshua Dolezal dropped

Colorado prosecutors have dropped four counts of sexual abuse against Joshua Dolezal, the white biological brother of Rachel Dolezal, who last month left her post as president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP amid allegations she was lying about her race.

Joshua Dolezal, 39, was cleared Monday of allegations that he sexually abused a child. He had been free on a $15,000 bond with trial scheduled to begin in August. Court records showed the alleged abuse took place in 2001 or 2002 and that the child was 6 or 7, according to various media reports.

Joshua is the eldest child of Lawrence and Ruthanne Dolezal. Rachel is his only biological sibling; their parents have four adopted children, who are black. Rachel’s younger brother Izaiah lives with her in Spokane.

Dolezal family members suggested in a TV interview in early June that Rachel Dolezal helped orchestrate the allegations. Rachel Dolezal also claimed that her parents outed her as white in retribution for her support of the alleged victim.

The case was dismissed “without prejudice,” meaning prosecutors can refile the charges at a later date. Thomas Kelley, a spokesman for the Clear Creek County District Attorney’s Office, declined to say why the charges were dropped.

Joshua Dolezal is an English professor at Central College, a private liberal arts college in Pella, Iowa. His writing, much of it nonfiction, has appeared in respected publications such as the Kenyon Review, and the University of Iowa Press published his memoir – which includes many references to his sister Rachel.