A 27-year-old Southern Pines man is in jail facing serious child sex charges after police say an investigation uncovered a sexual relationship involving a girl alleged to be pregnant.
Southern Pines police arrested Jahmel Raemone Kegler, this week and charged him with statutory rape of a child younger than 15 and indecent liberties with a child. After a magistrate hearing, Kegler was booked into the Moore County Detention Center and is scheduled to appear in district court on March 18. Police say the allegations involve a girl who was alleged to be pregnant, and investigators say Kegler already had a three‑month‑old child with the alleged victim.
Investigation timeline
According to ABC11, Southern Pines detectives opened the investigation on Oct. 7 after receiving information about a possible sexual relationship involving Kegler. The station reports that officers arrested him on Wednesday, after which he appeared before a Moore County magistrate.
Per police, Kegler was taken to the county detention center without bond on the statutory rape charge, while a $50,000 secured bond was set on the indecent liberties charge. Both counts stem from the same ongoing investigation, authorities said.
Custody and court
Kegler is being held at the Moore County Detention Center in Carthage, the facility that handles inmate intake and records for the county. Officials say he remains in custody there pending his March 18 district court hearing.
Police appeal for tips
Southern Pines police are asking anyone who may have information about any unreported incidents involving Kegler to come forward. Investigator J. Arnold can be reached at (910) 692‑7031, and the Southern Pines Police Department tip line is (910) 693‑4110, ABC11 reports.
The department says tips can be submitted anonymously through the tip line as detectives continue their work on the case.
Past encounters with law enforcement
Public records show Kegler has had prior run‑ins with law enforcement in the Sandhills area. Those include a 2019 traffic stop that led to drug and weapons charges, according to the Sandhills Sentinel. Authorities note those earlier matters are separate from the current allegations and do not determine guilt in this case.
What the charges mean
The offenses listed in the complaint are felonies under North Carolina law. Statutory sex crimes involving minors and indecent liberties with a child are treated as serious felony offenses and can carry lengthy prison sentences if a defendant is convicted.
Under state statute, conduct that falls under “indecent liberties” and related statutory sex offense provisions is prosecuted as a felony. At this stage, the charges against Kegler remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
