Man sentenced to 50 years in rape of teenager

A Cape Girardeau man convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl received a 50-year prison sentence.

Fred L. Harris, 53, must serve at least 42 1/2 years in prison under Missouri law before being eligible for parole, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said in a news release.

Harris received the sentence on Aug. 8 from circuit judge Benjamin Lewis. Harris was found guilty of the rape in June.

The rape took place on May 28, 2004. At trial, the victim testified that she was walking on Morgan Oak Street at about 3:30 p.m. that day when Harris approached her. The teen girl, who did not know Harris, said he told her he was looking for a wife and he wanted her to "have his twins."

The teen testified that Harris then pulled her through an alley to a junk car lot and raped her. She fled and told her grandmother, who called police.

Harris was arrested about two blocks from the scene.