Holts Summit man charged with statutory rape, sexual abuse

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Holts Summit man was charged with two felonies after he was accused of sexually abusing a child on July 13 in Cole County.

Fernando Yordi, 23, was charged with first-degree statutory rape of a person younger than 14 years old and first-degree sexual abuse of a victim younger than 14 years old. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says deputies were called to a Cole County residence at 9:40 p.m. July 13. The caller allegedly told law enforcement that their 13-year-old friend told them on social media that Yordi had pressured them into drinking alcohol and having sex.

When deputies arrived, “both of the friends said that the victim told them that a 20 something year old male Hispanic male had sex with her while at this residence,” court documents say. The mother of the friends allegedly told law enforcement that there was about an hour where they could not find the victim, the statement says.

The child then emerged from the woods, as did Yordi minutes later, the statement says. The next day, law enforcement spoke with the victim, who described the assault, the statement says.

The deputy wrote in the statement that he learned Yordi “made statements to his girlfriend and his wife about something happening” at the residence and left the state with his wife. Deputies contacted Yordi’s wife and Yordi allegedly agreed to return “after a lengthy conversation,” court documents say.

Yordi eventually admitted to having a sexual encounter with the child, but alleged the victim told him she was 18 years old, court documents say.