Local News – Monday, October 23rd, 2023
A former deputy sheriff from Phelps County was indicted Wednesday on charges that accuse him of soliciting and possessing child pornography was expected to appear in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Friday. The 42-year-old former deputy is Justin Bradley Durham was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of altering or destroying records. The indictment says that between roughly December 2013 and December 2014, Durham induced and enticed an underage girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct and record it. Durham possessed explicit images of the girl during those same dates, the indictment says, as well as a second girl between about December 9th, 2017 and July 2nd, 2018. The final charges relate to the accusation that Durham deleted files in his DropBox account and destroyed his iPhone to impede an FBI investigation. A motion seeking to have Durham remain in jail until trial says he offered the first victim money for explicit pictures and later paid her $200 to come to his house, where they engaged in sexual activity. According to the motion, Durham met the second victim when he responded to a call for police assistance. During this investigation, additional women have come forward with allegations about Durham involving his demands for sex or sexually explicit images after making traffic stops. Anyone with information about Dunham who has not spoken with law enforcement should call the FBI at 314-589-2500. Charges set forth in an indictment are only accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The sexual exploitation of children charge carries a penalty of at least 15 years in prison. The child pornography charges each carry a penalty of between 5 and 20 years in prison, and the altering or destroying records charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman will be prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
U.S. Representative Jason Smith is accepting applications from young Missourians interested in attending our nation’s service academies. Nominations to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and U.S. Naval Academy are available for qualified applicants. Smith said it’s an incredible honor to nominate southern Missouri students to attend our nation’s storied service academies. These historic institutions play a critical role in preparing young leaders with the skills, training, and education they need to pursue a military career. Individuals interested in a nomination from Smith must meet the following eligibility requirements for admission to a service academy: must be at least 17 years old and a U.S. citizen, must be a resident of Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, must be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents, and must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the academies. Students interested in a nomination should contact Smith’s Academy Coordinator, Donna Hickman at 573-756-9755 or send her an email at Donna.Hickman@mail.house.gov for more information. An application will be sent to interested students. Students who wish to be considered for nomination to attend a service academy in the fall of 2024 should return the completed application and supporting documents by October 30, 2023.
An accident happened in Phelps County Friday morning at 11:14 on Route HH, about three miles north of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 13-year-old male juvenile of Rolla was riding a 2016 RPS ATV and made a right turn when the ATV began to skid. The ATV then overturned and struck a tree. The 13-year-old boy suffered serious injuries and was flown by Phelps Air to the University Hospital in Columbia. The teenager was not wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident.
“Drug Take Back” Day will be held Saturday from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon in the parking lots at Country Mart on Highway 32-72 Easy and Wal-Mart on Highway 32-72 West. Bring your unused and/or expired medication to be safely disposed of. DO NOT FLUSH IT DOWN THE DRAIN!! If you can’t make it Saturday, there are permanent disposal boxes at the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 112 East 5th Street and at the Salem Police Department at 500 North Jackson Streets.