ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY, Mo. — A St. Francois County man is facing eight felonies after police said he raped and sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 12.
David Abernathy, of Bismarck, Missouri, was charged with statutory rape, sodomy and other crimes in connection with alleged crimes that police said happened between May and August of this year.
According to charging documents, Abernathy enticed or tried to entice the victim by asking her to have sex with him or conduct sex actson him. The charges said he also made sexual contact with the girl and raped her.
He was charged with three counts of statutory sodomy, one count of statutory rape, two counts of enticement or attempted enticement and two counts of second-degree child molestation.
He was taken into custody and is being held on $500,000 bond.
The St. Francois County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation in this case.
Abernathy is due in court for an initial appearance on Oct. 11.
