Registered sex offender charged with Centralia rape

A registered sex offender was arrested Thursday in Audrain County, accused of raping and sodomizing a 7-year-old Centralia area girl.

Dennis Hatten, 59, is charged with child molestation, statutory rape and two counts of statutory sodomy for the attacks which happened over the course of six months. It happened just outside Centralia.

His bond was set at $160,000.

Boone County deputies learned of the assaults from a family member who had been told by the victim. Hatten and the victim already knew each other.

Hatten had to start registering as a sex offender after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct with a child in Audrain County in 2008.