Man charged with sexual abuse, kidnapping
By JOHN MANGALONZO
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MONTROSE — After leaving several phone messages to a detective denying he had sex with a 12-year-old girl and instead only used an object to rub up against her, a 47-year-old Keokuk man slashed his wrist and ended up in the hospital.
On Wednesday, Lee County Sheriff’s deputies served Charles Russell with a warrant for his arrest at the Keokuk Area Hospital, charging him with third-degree sexual abuse and third-degree kidnapping.
Investigators say Russell and the alleged victim are related but would not comment on how close the relation was.
Detective Stacey Weber said they started an investigation into Russell’s possible involvement March 8 after the girl told her mother and grandmother Russell forced her to do sexual acts inside the man’s car.
Russell, who went to the Keokuk Police Department later that day, told detectives he drove the girl from a home on McKinley Street to his house in the 200 block of South 15th Street, both in Keokuk, but denied having sex.
He then asked Weber if detectives had any DNA samples from the girl and “if this was going to have him arrested.”
However, the girl said during the ride from McKinley Street, Russell drove to nearby Valley Road where he stopped and made her drive while he put on a condom. She said she was instructed to drive to an area where no one would see them.
In an unspecified remote area, Russell allegedly forced the girl onto his lap and pulled her pants down, according to court papers filed in support for a warrant.
Authorities allege, based on the girl’s statement, that while on his lap, Russell started rubbing his genitals against the girl’s buttocks.
“After a brief struggle, he rolled over making her face the rear of the car,” according to court documents. Russell allegedly again forced rubbing on the girl, according to court documents.
The day after the report was made, Russell left several phone messages on the detective’s voice mail denying he personally engaged the girl in that sexual act.
In the message which was kept as evidence, Russell told the detective, “I used a banana rubber and just rubbed it on her … .”
Authorities did not disclose Russell’s status as a result his slashed wrist.
Weber said additional charges may be filed against Russell, but they would come from the Keokuk Police Department. He did not comment on whether those charges would stem from the same incident.
Russell is being held on a $200,000 bond.
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