Columbia man accused of repeatedly raping child in Callaway County

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was charged with several sex crimes after he was accused of repeatedly raping and sodomizing a child over the course of several years.

Zackary Ray, 27, was charged with two counts of first-degree rape of a child younger than 12 years old, one count of first-degree sodomy of a child younger than 12 years old and a count of first-degree child molestation. He is being held at the Callaway County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The victim’s father reported to law enforcement in June that the youth told him they were sexually abused for years when they were younger, the statement says. The assaults began when the victim was 10 or 11 years old and that Ray would assault them after the child’s mother left for work, the statement says.

The victim gave graphic details to law enforcement during an interview, and claimed that Ray threatened to kill the victim’s mother and grandmother if they came forward with information, the statement says.

Ray initially denied the allegations but eventually claimed “if this happened, I don’t remember it,” while talking with law enforcement, court documents say. Ray and others who spoke with deputies talked about his repeated drug use during the time, court documents show.