The case of a West Plains man wanted for rape, terroristic threatening in the first degree and multiple counts of sexual assault in the fourth degree in Fulton County will be reviewed today.
James Meese, 38, of West Plains is awaiting extradition from the Howell County Detention Center in Missouri to answer for charges stemming from a series of incidents earlier this year in Arkansas.
According to the affidavit filed in mid September the charges stem after authorities spoke with a 14-year-old juvenile. The juvenile stated she and James Meese had been having sexual intercourse since April of this year.
The victim said she met Meese when she was 12. At the time, she and another juvenile female were interested in smoking marijuana and Meese who was a resident of West Plains, MO was contacted.
The affidavit states Meese took the children to the Viola Branch at the Bank of Salem and gave them hits off his dab pen. Afterward, he returned the children to their respective homes and friended them on Snapchat.
In May of this year, the victim said the relationship became sexual after she met Meese to use his vape again. During this encounter however; Meese began touching the juvenile inappropriately outside of her clothing.
Meese met with the victim between three and five more times spanning from May and September of this year. On one occasion, the juvenile said she had forgotten her vape pen and met with Meese however; this time, Meese told the victim to get into the back seat and she complied out of fear.
After forcing her to perform variuos sexual acts, Meese had sex with the victim.
The victim recalled two other times she’d requested vapes or pods from Meese who would mention sex or have sex with her.
At one point the juvenile mentioned talking to the police at which time Meese said he would kill her or find someone who would if she tried to ruin his and his daughter’s life.
On Sept. 15, the victim met with Meese one final time to end things. Meese had brought a pod and taken the victim to a location where he placed her on the hood of his vehicle and despite being told no, had sex with the victim. The victim said Meese recorded the rape on his cellphone.
As a result, James Michael Meese has been charged with rape, a class Y felony; three counts of sexual assault in the fourth degree, a class D felony and terroristic threatening in the first degree, a class D felony.
Meese is currently being held in the Howell County Jail in Missouri following a standoff with police on Sept. 21 when authorities went to arrest Meese for the Arkansas charges and were met with much resistance.
Meese barricaded himself inside his home on the 500 block of Tiffany Street in West Plains and after an hours long standoff was apprehended when authorities used less than lethal means to gain entry into his home and place him under arrest.
Meese was charged with being a fugitive from out of state and resisting arrest in Howell County.
Bond for Meese has been set at $300,000 in Arkansas and his case is set for review Oct. 7.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
