Perry County molestation case postponed

The trial of a Perryville, Mo., man accused of molesting four children and showing them pornographic movies has been reset to May.

According to Jason A. Tilley, attorney for Keith Allen Heaps, the case expected to be heard Tuesday at the Cape Girardeau Common Pleas Courthouse will be tried in May after both sides agreed to the postponement.

Heaps, 31, pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of child molestation and furnishing pornographic material to minors in January. Perry County Prosecuting Attorney Thomas L. Hoeh originally filed charges against Heaps in Perry County, but Tilley successfully asked for the case to be transferred to Cape Girardeau County.

Charges against Heaps date back to December 2010, when authorities say he inappropriately touched a 10-year-old girl who was trying to sleep in his home.

According to a probable-cause statement prepared by Jason L. Klaus of the Perry County Sheriff's Department, Heaps continued his inappropriate contact with the girl on multiple occasions. Heaps is alleged to have told her, "If you tell anyone about this, you won't come back."

Authorities also accused Heaps of touching three other girls in his home and showing them pornographic movies up to July 2011.

A felony complaint against Heaps was filed in October 2011. He posted a $250,000 bond under the conditions he have no contact with his alleged victims, that he not be within 1,000 feet of the residences of his alleged victims and he not be in the presence of any person who is under the age of 18.

Other than the information concerning the new trial date, Tilley had no comment about the case. Repeated attempts to contact Hoeh were unsuccessful Tuesday.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

Perryville, MO

44 N. Lorimier St., Cape Girardeau, MO