Cole Co. Man Charged with Rape
A Cole County man is facing multiple charges after prosecutors say he molested a teenager and threatened to kill his wife.Prosecutors say it started last July when the victim was just 12-years-old. Court documents paint a chilling description of what the girl went through between July and November 2012.The documents state 26-year-old Joe Stevens molested and raped the girl. The victim told officials she was forced to have sex with Stevens as recently as last Sunday.In a separate incident last week, he allegedly beat his wife and threatened to kill her.Investigators say the woman was badly beaten and bruised with cigarette burns all over her body.Stevens is now being charged with statutory rape, child molestation and domestic assault.
