A statutory rape charge landed a Kinston man in jail under a $500,000 bond Monday.
“We got a phone call from Lenoir Memorial Hospital saying there was a (patient) suffering a sexual assault (that) was admitted — a juvenile,” said Woody Spencer, spokesman for the Kinston Department of Public Safety.
KDPS officers arrested Michael Wayne Edmundson, 26, on the 100 block of Airport Road shortly after 4:30 p.m.
While KDPS isn’t releasing the age of the juvenile involved, the arrest report describes the charge as “first degree,” even though there’s not a specific designation in the law as to degrees.
However, there are two penalties provided. According to N.C.G.S. 14-27.7A, a person who is more than six years older than the victim — who is 13, 14, or 15 — and engages in vaginal intercourse or another sexual act, is guilty of a Class B1 felony, the highest-level crime not subject to the death penalty.
A person may be found guilty of a Class C felony if the defendant is more than four but less than six years older than the victim.
Edmundson served from September 2007 to May 2008 in prison for multiple crimes in Pitt County that were consolidated under one ruling, for which he initially received probation.
Those crimes included four instances of felony breaking and entering; two charges of wanton injury to person or property; and one charge each of assault on a female, possession of stolen goods and a driver’s license revocation.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.