West Virginia man faces rape charge in Delaware County
MUNCIE, Ind. — A West Virginia man has been accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile in Delaware County.
Justin Andrew Leavitt, 26 — of Charleston, 280 miles southeast of Muncie — was charged April 17 in Delaware Circuit Court 5 with rape, sexual misconduct with a minor and child solicitation.
According to court documents, Leavitt, at that time residing in Muncie, forced a youth in his early teens to engage in sex acts on three occasions last July.
His accuser also told investigators Leavitt showed him pornography on his cellphone, and "forced (the youth) to comply by threat of force."
A Muncie police detective reported that in a phone conversation, Leavitt confirmed to him that he had engaged in sex acts with the juvenile.
More: Police: Intruder armed with box cutter sexually assaulted New Castle woman
A warrant for Leavitt's arrest was issued Tuesday. When he is returned to the Delaware County jail, his bond will be set at $35,000.
Rape is a Level 3 felony carrying up to 16 years in prison. The sexual misconduct charge against the West Virginia man is a Level 4 felony with a maximum 12-year sentence, while the solicitation count is a Level 5 felony carrying up to six years in prison.
In other crime news:
Sexual battery: A 68-year-old Muncie man stands accused of fondling a child under the age of 10.
Jackie E. Durbin Jr. was charged Tuesday with sexual battery, a Level 6 felony with a maximum 30-month sentence, in Delaware Circuit Court 5.
He was being held in the Delaware County jail under a $20,000 bond.
Durbin last year was convicted of dissemination of matter harmful to minors.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: West Virginia man accused of sexually assaulting juvenile in Muncie
