NORWICH – A federally-convicted sex offender was back in Chenango County Court Monday, and was granted his request to have a new attorney assigned to the case.

Dean M. Sacco, 48, 148 Randolph St., Jersey City, N.J., faces charges in Chenango County including three counts of first degree rape (a class B violent felony) and three counts of second degree rape (a class D felony) for allegedly committing criminal sexual acts and first-degree course of sexual conduct.

Sacco, along with Norwich resident Linda O’Connor, 46, was recently convicted of sex trafficking and producing child pornography in a U.S District Court in Binghamton. The pair was first arrested in Norwich following an investigation into a situation where authorities were led to believe O’Connor had offered a young girl’s sexual favors to Sacco in exchange for the “back rent” she owed to him.

Sacco and his defense attorney Scott Clippinger requested a new attorney be assigned to the case Monday. “I feel further communication could be detrimental to the case,” said Clippinger.