A St. Louis County couple is sitting in jail after prosecutors filed a slate of child sex crime charges that read like a nightmare. Police arrested 35-year-old Christopher Stewart and 37-year-old Marissa Thomas, then booked them into the St. Louis County Justice Center. Prosecutors set steep cash-only bonds, $300,000 for Stewart and $2 million for Thomas, with no 10 percent option.
According to charging documents, Stewart is accused of first-degree statutory rape, two counts of statutory sodomy of a person less than 14 years old, and two counts of fourth-degree child molestation. Thomas faces counts of second-degree statutory sodomy, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, fourth-degree child molestation, and two counts of furnishing pornographic material to a minor. Both remain jailed and are scheduled for bond-reduction hearings at the end of the month, as reported by First Alert 4.
Police executed a search warrant at the home Thomas and Stewart share on Thursday after a report was made to the Children’s Division. Investigators say they found rodent and other animal feces, exposed insulation, and generally unsafe living conditions inside. Multiple minors who live in or frequently visit the residence told investigators that Thomas had shown them a video of adults performing sexual acts, and that Stewart had inappropriately touched or subjected at least one child to sex acts beginning in January 2024. "Investigators say there may be more victims in this case," according to First Alert 4, and anyone with information is urged to contact St. Louis County Police Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives at 314-615-5400.
What the charges mean under Missouri law
Under Missouri law, first-degree statutory rape and first-degree statutory sodomy are among the most serious sexual felonies on the books, carrying potential prison sentences that can run from a term of years up to life in prison. Furnishing pornographic material to a minor is governed by RSMo 573.040 and can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the nature of the material and the circumstances surrounding the offense.
Local context and next steps
The case drops into a region already rattled by a string of child sex crime investigations in recent months, including a June case involving a Northeast St. Louis firefighter that renewed scrutiny of how authorities respond when allegations surface inside local households. Prosecutors say the investigation into Thomas and Stewart remains active, and detectives continue to urge anyone with information to contact the St. Louis County Police Bureau of Crimes Against Persons at 314-615-5400.
