Area man jailed on suspicion of multiple abuse charges

A rural Poplar Bluff man is in jail after appearing Monday morning for an arraignment before Associate Circuit Judge Wade Pierce on suspicion of first degree statutory rape or attempted statutory rape of a person less than 14 years old.

Corvette Allen Christian, 34, was arrested Saturday and also faces second degree charges of statutory rape and statutory sodomy. Christian, who requested a public defender, is scheduled to reappear in court at 9 a.m. Dec. 5 for a bond review.

It is alleged that multiple incidents occurred involving one victim at multiple locations in Butler County over a seven-month period, according to reports made to the sheriff’s department.

“The Butler County Sheriff’s Department takes these cases very, very seriously, due to the fact that most all of these victims are children,” said Butler County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Randle Huddleston. “They are the most vulnerable of our citizens in Butler County. These cases are the tough ones.”

Once the department is notified, Huddleston said, “the first thing we usually do in these cases is we schedule a forensic interview for the victim. Then, after that interview, we take the details of what was disclosed and we begin our investigation.”

Forensic interviews are done by an independent agency in Butler County.

Huddleston conducted an inquiry into the case Friday night and Saturday and sent a probable cause to the prosecutor, who issued a no-bond warrant.

A deputy was sent to the suspect’s house, contact was made and the deputy brought him to the sheriff’s office.

“I arrested him about 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the sheriff’s department after a formal interview was conducted,” Huddleston said. “We have had no dealings with him prior to this.”