Man charged with child sex crimes in Bollinger County arrested for rape in Pemiscot County

A Bollinger County man whose statutory rape and child molestation case goes to trial in Cape Girardeau County in October was arrested in Pemiscot County last week on similar charges.

James E. Primer, 42, was charged Friday with rape and felonious restraint for allegedly raping a 35-year-old woman near Route J in Hayti, Mo., around 3 a.m.

While waiting for a ride near the Budget Inn in Hayti, the alleged victim was approached by Primer and they had a brief conversation, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed by the court.

When the victim's ride didn't arrive, she began walking to her residence and noticed that the man she met near Budget Inn was following her.

He threw her to the ground and choked her, the victim told police, before he raped her. According to the affidavit, when the woman gave police a description of the man, officers recalled giving the same man a ride to the Budget Inn around 2 a.m. the same morning.

However, at the police station later Friday morning, the victim couldn't identify Primer in a photo lineup. The suspect wore reading glasses, she told police, and none of the men were pictured with glasses.

Primer was arraigned Monday and had his preliminary hearing set in Pemiscot County for 10 a.m. Aug. 26.

Primer's case set for trial in October stems from an accusation that he was sexually involved with a teenage girl.

DNA testing indicated he is the father of a child born in June 2009 to a girl younger than 14.

The November charges were originally filed against Primer in Bollinger County, but the case was moved to Cape Girardeau County in March.

ehevern@semissourian.com

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