LANCASTER – The man accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl on her way to school appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom for a preliminary hearing Thursday, but the hearing was postponed to next month.
Charles James, 30, is charged with five felony sex crimes in connection with a Dec. 13 attack that occurred in east Lancaster.
The crime happened on the 2000 block of East Avenue J-8. The victim told detectives she was walking to school when she noticed a man following her. The man caught up to the girl, dragged her into some bushes and repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl, sheriff’s officials said. Once the attack was finished, the suspect fled the scene. The girl was able to go to a local residence to contact Lancaster sheriff station and filed the complaint.
Less than two weeks later, James was identified as a suspect in the assault. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Dec. 26, and his image was released to the media.
A family member saw the news coverage and notified James, who was spending the holidays in Greenville, South Carolina.
James contacted the detectives on the case. The local detectives contacted law enforcement in Greenville, and James was arrested on Dec. 27. He was booked at the Greenville County jail and extradited to California about a week later to face charges.
James is charged with two counts of kidnapping, one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object, one count of sodomy by use of force, one count of committing a lewd act on a child and one count of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, according to court records.
The preliminary hearing to decide if James will go to trial is now set for February 4, 2013. James remains jailed on $2.3 million bail.
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Thomas says
What a waste of time. Lets get this predator dealt with
oughta says
He’d look good with one more opening right between his eyebrows.Recycle time.
Lenny2012 says
I flush turds that look just like this one! Theres so many of this type in the AV.
heh says
How can he be charged with two counts of kidnapping??
Yo Mama says
I could see multiple counts of rape, but I’m with you, heh, on multiple counts of kidnapping? Was there an additional victim? We must not have the whole story…That, or, Homeboy’s gettin the book thrown at his dumb @$$!! Fine with me…
T-Bone says
The Penal Code (no pun intended) has Kidnapping under 207 thru 210 with different definitions for each section. Seems this POS violated a couple of those different definitions under the same “Kidnapping” Offence during this same crime which would bring separate counts under the same “Kidnapping” title.