An 18-year-old Marshall man is facing a first-degree statutory rape charge after Saline County investigators say a 13-year-old told them at a hospital what had happened to her in May. Franklin H. Morales was booked into the Saline County Jail on a $50,000 bond following the investigation, which centered on an alleged encounter involving the teen, Morales, and two other people.
According to KRCG, the Saline County Sheriff's Office interviewed the 13-year-old victim at a hospital as part of the probe. Morales was arrested and charged with First-Degree Statutory Rape of a Person Less Than 14 Years of Age — Aggravated Sexual Offense, the station reported. Under Missouri law, a person commits first-degree statutory rape if they have sexual intercourse with someone younger than 14, according to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes.
How the Night Allegedly Unfolded
The victim told investigators that one of three male suspects contacted her around midnight and the two agreed to meet, per the station's report. A vehicle allegedly driven by Morales then picked her up, and she climbed into the back seat alongside a witness while another suspect sat beside Morales in the front passenger seat, the outlet reported. Morales allegedly drove around and parked on a dirt road near the Lakeview trailer park before later driving to a residence and going inside.
The teen reportedly objected several times to requests for sexual activity from Morales and the other suspect but eventually agreed after repeated requests, the station's report states. She later told investigators she felt uncomfortable throughout the encounter and said she felt ignored and remained silent. On the dirt road, the victim and the witness engaged in sexual intercourse, per the same account. At some point afterward, the other suspect and the witness transferred to another vehicle, where the outlet reports they engaged in further sexual contact with her. The teen made attempts to stop the acts once that happened, the report notes, and she later said she had sexual relations with three different people that night.
What Morales and the Other Suspect Told Investigators
Morales allegedly told the victim not to tell anyone what happened, according to the probable cause statement cited by the station. In an initial interview, Morales reportedly asked what would happen if he admitted it and took the fall, the outlet reported. In a later meeting, he explained that he had done nothing but wondered what would happen if he took the blame, the outlet reported. Morales and the other suspect corroborated that they were present during the incident but denied taking part in sexual intercourse, per the report. Both men reportedly failed a Computer Voice Stress Analysis examination twice when asked whether they had sexual relations with the victim, the station's report states.
Booking, Bond and an Unresolved Second Suspect
No further information was filed regarding the other suspect or witness named in the probable-cause statements, the station reported. A separate account from centralmoinfo.com says the alleged incident occurred in May and that Morales was booked into the Saline County Jail on Thursday before being released the following day. That report also states that no court dates had been scheduled as of publication.
