A Poplar Bluff man is charged with several sex crimes after he allegedly molested an underage girl in 2019.
Rickey L. Pennington, 44, of the 3200 block of Oakmoore Drive is charged with the Class A felony of first degree child molestation, two unclassified felony counts of first degree statutory rape or attempted statutory rape, the unclassified felony of statutory or attempted statutory sodomy, the Class D felonies of second degree statutory rape and second degree statutory sodomy and the Class E felony of fourth degree child molestation.
According to the probable cause statement from Poplar Bluff Police Detective Scott Phelps, PBPD received a copy of an Oregon Department of Human Services report on Aug. 7, 2019. According to the report, the alleged victim’s mother took her phone for disciplinary reasons.
When she did, the youth reportedly told her mother she would “ruin everything.” The girl then told her mother that Pennington had been molesting her for years, during a time the girl lived in Missouri, according to reports to law enforcement. .
Eight days later, Phelps received a report from the Oregon State Patrol which contained a summary of a forensic interview with the youth. In the interview, the girl said the abuse began with Pennington sending her daily text messages where he said he loved her. Later, he allegedly began sexually abusing her.
During one reported incident when the girl was in seventh grade, Pennington allegedly touched the youth in a sexual manner.
The girl also said Pennington went on to text her sexually explicit photos of himself and she also once sent him a nude photo of herself. She also said her mother once walked into her room and reportedly witnessed Pennington groping her legs and her buttocks.
The youth said Pennington eventually began to perform sex acts on her, tried to get her to do the same on him and ultimately had sex with her.
Pennington was interviewed on Aug. 20, 2019, and denied the allegations. He reportedly told Phelps the alleged victim’s mother used methamphetamine and the alleged victim had once accused one of her mother’s former boyfriends of sexual abuse.
Pennington’s residence was searched and his phone seized. The only items of evidentiary value found on the phone were text messages between Pennington and the alleged victim where he expressed his love for her and referred to her as beautiful and gorgeous, according to law enforcement.
Law enforcement has said this case faced delays in getting lab work and issues coordinating between the Oregon and Missouri.
Pennington is free on $250,000 bond. He is slated to make his initial appearance at the Butler County Courthouse on Thursday morning.