Dutchtown man bound over

JACKSON, Mo. -- A judge found enough probable cause Tuesday to bind Ronald E. Shumate Jr. over to trial on charges that he tampered with a witness.

In January, Shumate, 41, of Dutchtown, Mo., was originally charged with three class C felony counts of statutory rape and three class D felony counts of incest.

He's accused of sexually molesting a teen-age relative between last June and September.

On April 22, Shumate turned himself in to police when he learned he was being charged with tampering with a victim.

At a preliminary hearing Tuesday, his 16-year-old accuser told the court that Shumate gave her $1,000 and the use of a yellow Camaro in return for a written statement that she had fabricated the charges.

The agreement was apparently that she would leave town until she turned 17.

Attorney Stephen C. Wilson questioned her truthfulness, pointing out that the girl didn't go to police until after the $1,000 was spent.