Three New Hope High School students charged with statutory rape have been released on bond.
Javonte Lashad Ellis, 17, of 269 Florence Harris Road; Brenton Mikael Spann, 18, of 245 Wilson Dr.; and Tyler Ridge Staples, 18, of 163 Ben Christopher Road, were arrested by Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department deputies Thursday. Ellis and Spann face one count each of statutory rape and received $10,000 bonds. Staples faces two counts of statutory rape. He received a $20,000 bond.
They each posted bond last week.
The case involves at least two alleged victims, females aged 14 and 15, according to the Lowndes County Sheriff Department. There could be more victims and suspects, according to LCSD Lt. Tony Cooper.
The Dispatch does not identify victims of alleged sex crimes.
LCSD was tipped-off to the alleged statutory rapes while going through electronic device evidence from a separate exploitation case.
LCSD Capt. Ryan Rickert said investigators are gathering evidence that will be presented to a grand jury, which will ultimately decide whether the case moves forward.
District Attorney Forrest Allgood said the case will likely not be ready to be presented to the next grand jury, which is scheduled for the week of April 13.
The case will likely be presented to the grand jury this summer.
Statutory rape cases involving teen suspects ‘not uncommon’
In an interview with The Dispatch on Monday, Allgood said LCSD has not yet consulted his office regarding the case. Allgood said that with statutory rape, charges can vary widely depending on the dates of birth. Based on the ages of the parties involved in this case, the three suspects are looking at a maximum of five years in prison for each statutory rape charge, if convicted, according to Assistant DA Lindsay Clemons.
Clemons told The Dispatch that while statutory rape cases involving teens are not the norm, they are not unheard of.
“It’s not uncommon,” she said of teens being charged with statutory rape. “Most of our cases in that realm, the defendant is over 20, but we do get a handful of teens.”
Under state law, statutory rape is committed when “any person 17 years of age or older has sexual intercourse with a child who is at least 14 but under 16 years of age, (who) is 36 months younger than the person and not the person’s spouse.”
Clemons said that in this case, with the accused parties being 17 and 18 years old, and the alleged victims being between 14 and 16 years old, the accused would not be placed on the lifelong sexual offenders list if convicted. She said that because statutory rape sentencing begins at 17 years old, Ellis will be charged as an adult should the grand jury choose to indict.
“These are the type of cases where the grand jury may want to question the victim,” Clemons said.
The age of consent in Mississippi is 16. Any person under 16 who agrees to go along with an action is considered a “willing participant” and not as a “consenter.”
Lowndes County School District superintendent Lynn Wright did not return multiple calls for comment.
Ellis, Spann and Staples each played on the New Hope football team in 2014. New Hope head football coach Kris Pickle has declined to comment on the case.
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