Story Published:
Oct 4, 2007 at 2:36 PM CST
Story Updated:
Oct 4, 2007 at 2:36 PM CST
MARSHFIELD, Mo. -- A man from Seymour is charged with statutory sodomy and rape. Investigators think Orion Justice, 32, had sexual relations with a 12-year-old girl.
The father of the girl called the Children's Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services about his daughter's relationship with Justice. That prompted an investigation by the Webster County Sheriff's Department.
According to a probable cause statement filed with the charge, the girl told a detective that she voluntarily had intercourse with Justice in his vehicle on a road between his house and her house. They live about two miles apart. The girl told the detective that she had been drinking alcohol at Orion's house but she said she knew what she was doing.
The girl also told a detective that there were five other times when they fondled each other but didn't have intercourse. She said the last time was 2 a.m. on a Saturday night with Justice's pregnant wife at home but passed out on the couch. Another time was in a truck on the night of the ice storm in January, with a friend her age in the truck. The girl said Justice would give her alcohol but not drugs.
The girl "said she feels guilty about what she did with Orion because of him being married and having 5 kids," according to Deputy Rick Hamilton. She feared "Orion's wife would kill her if she found out what she had been doing with Orion."
In an interview with Hamilton, Justice said he had intercourse with the girl once after drinking " half a gallon of vodka and 15 beers," and had other sexual relations on two other occasions. He said he felt bad about what he did with the girl. He also said he had smoked marijuana with the girl.
Another girl told the detective that Justice had given alcohol to her on different occasions. She said she knew Justice and her friend were having a relationship. She said she was in the truck with them on the night of the ice storm when she noticed something going on, and looked out the window so she wouldn't see what they were doing together.
The detective also interviewed Justice's daughter, who said she knew her friend and her father were having sexual relations. She also said her parents smoke pot, including her mother since she's been pregnant. Online court records show Justice and his wife, Kara Justice, both were charged two weeks ago with possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana.
The Webster County prosecuting attorney's office says Justice is scheduled to be in court next month on the felony charges. Justice faces between five years and life in prison on both charges if he is convicted. After charges were filed last week, a judge issued a warrant for Justice and set his bond at $70,000.