A 20-year-old Lebanon man faces a litany of charges – 16 in total – over the alleged 2022 rape of a 13-year-old girl in Lebanon city.
Lebanon police charged Samuel James Rhoads on July 9 following the approval of charges by Lebanon County Assistant District Attorney Amy Muller earlier this month.
According to court records, Rhoads faces a dozen felony charges, among them multiple charges of involuntary deviate sexual assault and rape, as well as charges of aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors, and unlawful contact with minor.
Rhoads also faces four misdemeanor charges of indecent assault.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Lebanon police detective Dory Martin, city police began to investigate the incident on Feb. 12 after two Childline reports regarding child abuse/sexual assault were filed.
In those reports, a juvenile female described an incident that occurred on Sept. 15, 2022, alleging that Rhoads raped her. She was 13 years old at the time, and Rhoads was 18 years old.
Police said that in an interview on April 25, the victim provided further details on the alleged rape.
Police said in that affidavit that Rhoads was subsequently interviewed on May 2, and he admitted to knowing the victim and where she lived, but denied raping her.
A polygraph examination and second interview were held with Rhoads on June 27, police said. In that interview with police, Rhoads confirmed details of the incident as described by the victim, according to the affidavit.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 18, in front of Magisterial District Judge Aurelis Figueroa.
Rhoads is currently in custody, Lebanon police chief Bret Fisher confirmed, although court records have not yet been updated to show this. That may be because, as of March 2024, Rhoads was already in custody at Lebanon County Correctional Facility for a charge of child pornography, to which he pled guilty earlier this year.
Editor’s note: This article was updated after publication to note Rhoads previous guilty plea over child pornography.
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