Sikeston man charged with rape, armed criminal action, forcible sodomy

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was arraigned Wednesday on several sex charges involving minors.

Following reports from three young females, Ronald Dean Sherrod, 59, was charged with several counts of rape, armed criminal action and forcible sodomy, all felonies.

He is in custody at the Scott County Jail under a $100,000 cash-only bond, as well as a $50,000 cash or surety bond.

According to a probable-cause affidavit by Detective John Blakely of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, an 18-year-old victim said that between 2006 and September 2009 she was sexually abused by Sherrod. The mother of an 8-year-old and 11-year-old reported he had inappropriate contact with her daughters.

In her interview, the 18-year-old stated that during the assaults, Sherrod would sometimes hold a small revolver pistol with a brown handle to her head and threaten to kill her, her family or her horse if she ever told anyone.

She "said even though the gun was not always displayed, the threat of it being used was always implied and she feared for her life, her family and her horse," wrote Blakely.

During his arrest, Sherrod gave officers permission to look at the two revolvers he owns. They were later shown to the victim, who identified a .22-caliber pistol as the one used during those crimes. Both weapons were seized as evidence.

Pertinent address:

Sikeston, MO