Sex Offender Pleads Not Guilty To Sex With Teen In Fayetteville

Capehart
Capehart

— A registered sex offender found by police in a motel with an underage girl in March pleaded not guilty Monday in Washington County Circuit Court to charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and failure to register as a sex offender.

Jimmy Capehart, 21, was given a June 16 trial date. Capehart is free on $10,000 bond while awaiting trial.

Police said Capehart told them he had consensual sex with the girl multiple times, according to a probable cause report. He said he didn't know she was 15 at first but continued to have sex with her after learning her age.

Fourth-degree sexual assault describes someone older than 20 having sex with a minor younger than 16 and is a felony. Capehart pleaded guilty to felony sexual indecency with a child in Washington County Circuit Court when he was 18.

Authorities searched for the girl after her mother reported her missing.

Police broadcast a missing child alert through news and social media because there was reason to believe the girl was in danger, Sgt. Craig Stout said at the time.

"She had not been seen since early that morning," Stout said, adding the girl had no history of missing school and had deactivated her Facebook profile and phone. "It started throwing up some big flags early on."

Investigators learned the girl might be with Capehart and looked for him at his registered address at 1295 W. Van Asche Drive, according to the report. They discovered he wasn't staying there.

Police eventually found the two at Motel 6 on North College Avenue.

NW News on 04/15/2014

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