A KANSAS MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH HAVING SEX WITH A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL HE MET IN AN ONLINE CHAT ROOM.
20 YEAR OLD JACOBUS P. SWANEPOEL IS ACCUSED OF FIRST DEGREE STATUTORY RAPE AND FIRST DEGREE STATUTORY SODOMY AFTER ALLEGEDLY MEETING WITH THE 12-YEAR OLD FEMALE AND ENGAGING IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
PLATTE COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY ERIC ZAHND SAID CHARGES WERE FILED AUGUST 24, FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION BY THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE RIVERSIDE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS, ON AUGUST 3, THE VICTIM ALONG WITH HER AUNT REPORTED THE ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE TO THE RIVERSIDE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
SWANEPOEL ALLEGEDLY MET THE 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN AN ONLINE CHAT ROOM IN JUNE 2010. THEIR CONVERSATIONS BECAME SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.
AROUND 2:00 A.M. ON JUNE 30, SWANEPOEL ALLEGEDLY DROVE TO MEET THE GIRL, WHO SNUCK OUT OF THE HOUSE AND GOT INTO SWANEPOEL’S CAR. THE GIRL REPORTED TO POLICE THAT SHE TOLD SWANEPOEL SHE WAS ONLY TWELVE.
SWANEPOEL THEN ALLEGEDLY ENGAGED IN SEXUAL CONTACT WITH THE GIRL IN THE CAR. HE LATER ALLEGEDLY TEXTED HER, SAYING HE WAS SORRY FOR HURTING HER.
ON JULY 4 AT AROUND 2:00 A.M., SWANEPOEL ALLEGEDLY MET WITH VICTIM AGAIN AND DROVE HER TO THE AREA OF BARRY ROAD AND NORTH CONGRESS, WHERE HE HAD SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH HER.
SWANEPOEL THEN ALLEGEDLY PICKED UP THE VICTIM ON JULY 17 AT HER MOTHER’S HOME IN RIVERSIDE. HE ALLEGEDLY DROVE THE VICTIM TO A VACANT LOT AND ENGAGED IN MULTIPLE SEX ACTS WITH HER.
SWANEPOEL IS FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES ON A STUDENT VISA. HE IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD IN THE JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS JAIL IN LIEU OF A $100,000 CASH BOND.
IF CONVICTED, SWANEPOEL FACES UP TO LIFE IN PRISON.
