Court date set for child rape suspect

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Mississippi County man will be arraigned Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a child.

Kevin Lee Banks, 35, of Wilson City, Missouri, is scheduled to appear in Division II of Mississippi County Circuit Court on charges of first-degree statutory sodomy and first-degree statutory rape. Both charges involve a victim younger than 14.

Banks also is charged with first-degree child molestation, endangering the welfare of a minor and incest.

Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore said the investigation began when deputy Mike Borders received a complaint from a county resident who alleged a child was sexually assaulted by Banks.

"Deputy Borders immediately contacted the Beacon Health Center to schedule a sexual assault forensic exam and the victim was examined the following morning," Moore said in a news release. "According to the deputy's report, the allegations were substantiated by the examination and victim interview conducted by that facility."

Deputies arrested Banks last week.

The statutory sodomy and rape charges are unclassified felonies and could mean life in prison if Banks is convicted. The child molestation charge could net up to 15 years in prison, while endangering the welfare of a minor is punishable upon conviction by up to seven years in jail. Incest is a class D felony punishable by up to four years in prison, if Banks is convicted.

Banks remained in custody on $200,000 bond.