PRIOR SEX OFFENDER FACES RAPE CHARGE

JACKSON, Mo. -- A Cape Girardeau man who failed to register as a prior sex offender after moving here earlier this year has been arrested for second-degree statutory rape.

Rex Allen Dakin, 36, of 901 S. Sprigg entered a plea of innocent Monday before Associate Circuit Judge Gary A. Kamp at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson.

Court documents allege that a 15-year-old girl had "consensual intercourse" with Dakin Aug. 18 at a house on South Pacific. The documents also say that Dakin was charged with second-degree child molestation in Iron County in October 1997. Iron County Prosecuting Attorney Scott Killen said that Dakin pleaded guilty to that charge Dec. 17, 1997.

In addition to second-degree statutory rape, Dakin also faces a charge of failing to register as a convicted prior sex offender. Dakin remained in custody at the Cape Girardeau County jail in lieu of $25,000 bail Monday.

Kamp set Dakin's preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. Sept. 19. Dakin was appointed a public defender.

The Missouri prior sex offender law requires convicted sex offenders to register with local sheriff departments. That information, including the offenders' addresses, is then made public to anyone who requests it.

Cape Girardeau police spokesman Cpl. Rick Schmidt said that Dakin did not do that after he moved to Cape Girar-deau sometime after Jan. 1. The law requires that sex offenders register no later than 10 days after taking residence.

"Most of them understand that they have to register, and they do," Schmidt said. "It's just a little bitty old form."

Schmidt said the crime was reported by a parent of the victim. He said that Dakin was arrested Friday at the police department after being questioned by the police.

The statutory rape charge is a class C felony carrying a sentence of up to seven years in prison or up to $5,000 in fines. Failing to register as a sex offender is a class A misdemeanor with a sentence of up to a year in the county jail or a $1,000 fine.