SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say a former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper who’s charged with taking sexually explicit photos with a teen has a second accuser.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that prosecutors said Thursday that the new allegation is that 46-year-old Justin Watson sodomized a then-14-year-old about 10 years ago.
No charges have been filed over the latest claim. Prosecutors mentioned it as they argued that Watson should be detained while awaiting trial. The judge agreed, discounting defense arguments that Watson posed no risk to the community. He’s facing state and federal charges after authorities say he had a sexual relationship last year with a 17-year-old boy.
Seventeen is the legal age of consent in Missouri. But state and federal law says 17-year-olds can be victims of charges related to child porn.
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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com
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