Back in February, 20-year-old Benjamin Blake was charged in Webster County with six felony counts of child molestation, sexual misconduct and rape.
Blake, of Rogersville, was a Youth Group Leader at Temple Baptist Church in Marshfield at the time of his arrest.
Authorities initially began investigating Blake because of allegations involving three separate young girls.
The probable cause statement says a 13-year-old victim claimed to exchange nude photos with Blake and that he convinced her to perform a sex act on him.
Another girl told authorities Blake raped her when he was 18 and she was 14.
The final victim told police she was 14 and Blake was 18 when they exchanged nude photos.
She alleges she only sent them because Blake threatened self-harm himself if she refused.
The rape charge is punishable by up to 7 years in prison, while the remaining charges in this case carry 4 years.
Shortly after he was arrested, Blake posted bond.
He has a hearing scheduled in Judge Chuck Replogle’s court on May 19th.
However, Blake was cuffed again Tuesday in Laclede County.
According to court records, he faces new charges of fourth-degree child molestation and sexual misconduct.
The victim was a 14-year-old child who was pressured into sexual acts within the city limits of Lebanon.
Blake was 18-years-old at the time of the alleged crimes and met the victim at a church function in Springfield in 2018.
According to the probable cause statement, while the two were dating, Blake told the victim, “I own you, you’re my property now.”
They broke up once Blake started receiving images and texts from other girls.
Blake posted bond the day after his arrest and is set to appear in court on May 4th.
