A Concord man has been charged in Independence County Circuit Court with the rape of female juvenile, and the juvenile’s mother was also charged with permitting the abuse of a minor.
The rape charge, filed yesterday, Thursday, May 24, was against 19-year-old Jonathan E. Rossiter.
Court information provided to the prosecuting attorney’s office by Independence County Sheriff’s Department investigator Zach Rawlings said Rossiter allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with a female juvenile under the age of 14.
Rawlings said the department became aware of a possible sexual relationship between Rossiter and the juvenile female. Officers went to the address of the juvenile female’s mother Thursday morning on information that the two were living there. The court document said officers found the mother and juvenile there and asked if Rossiter was in the residence.
The mother told authorities Rossiter was not there, but permitted a search which found him hiding in a closet. He was taken to the sheriff’s office where he signed a Statement of Rights form, acknowledging he understood his rights and said he wished to provide a statement.
The court information said he admitted to having a sexual encounter with the juvenile female multiple times, describing the encounters as normal sexual intercourse. He also, in his statement, admitted to having unprotected sex with the juvenile the night before.
The court records noted that Rossiter told investigators that it appears, according to pregnancy tests, the female juvenile is pregnant. Investigator Rawlings said Rossiter also admitted to knowing the juvenile was underage. Rossiter is charged with rape, a class “Y” felony that carries a prison term of not less than 10 years nor more than 40 years or life, and a fine not to exceed $25,000, or a combination of both.
Rossiter is in custody under a $150,000 bond.
The mother of the female juvenile was also arrested in the case. She is charged with permitting abuse of a minor, a class “B” felony. That felony is punishable by a prison term of not less than five years nor more than 20 years, and a fine not exceeding $10,000 or a combination of a fine and imprisonment. The mother’s bond was set at $100,000.
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