CRAWFORD COUNTY, Mo. — A man wanted for nearly 2.5 years for multiple counts of statutory rape was arrested Thursday in Catawissa, Missouri, according to the Crawford County Sheriff's Office.
A resident of Franklin County, 41-year-old Paul Edward Burks II was charged in November 2021 with two counts of statutory rape of a child younger than 14 years old. Despite the Crawford County Sheriff's Office's best efforts and several leads provided over the years, Burks avoided arrest for more than 900 days.
Detectives with the Crawford County Sheriff Criminal Investigations Division developed new information that led to Burks's location.
With help from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Burks was found in a Catawissa home and taken into custody. He was then moved to a Crawford County facility. His bond was set at $100,000 for each of the two charges.
Crawford County Sheriff Darin Layman called Burks "one of Crawford County's most wanted persons."
"Mr. Burks is in custody and the judicial process can proceed," Layman said. "Hopefully, some closure for the persons involved with these crimes can begin. I applaud the hard work of our CID for making this happen, and the assistance of our partners at the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. I am truly thankful to have dedicated employees who seek justice for victims.”
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