St. James, Mo., man facing charges of statutory sodomy for allegedly molesting child younger than 10

A St. James, Mo., man is facing charges of statutory sodomy in Cape Girardeau County for allegedly molesting a child younger than 10.

Raymond M. Ressel, 29, of St. James, known as "Mike," was arrested Friday by the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department.

The incident that led to the charges occurred March 8 at an event in Cape Girardeau County, the child's mother told investigators.

The child's mother told sheriff's deputies that no one witnessed the incident, but she questioned her daughter after learning she'd been alone with Ressel.

Her mother said the child reported Ressel had put his hand down her pants and molested her, scratching her skin and leaving a red mark.

Ressel voluntarily went to the sheriff's department to take a polygraph, according to the sworn statement.

"There were definite indications of deceptiveness when Ressel answered 'no' to his three pertinent questions," Cape Girardeau County Detective Jamie Malugen wrote in a probable-cause statement.

After the polygraph, authorities say Ressel admitted to molesting the child, saying he realized it was wrong after he'd begun. Investigators also say he told them he'd been drinking and taking medication at the time and said he was sorry about what had happened and that he blamed his actions on the alcohol and the medication.

He also told investigators he'd molested the child on two different occasions in another county, the statement said.

At a first court appearance Monday before Cape Girardeau County Associate Circuit Judge Gary A. Kamp, the public defender's office entered an appearance to represent Ressel.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for April 22.

Ressel remains in the Cape Girardeau County Jail on a $50,000 conditional cash-only bond, dictating that he stay more than 500 feet from the victim's residence if released on bond.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

388-3635