A Melbourne man is behind bars after being charged with rape and sexual assault.
According to the Izard County Sheriff’s Office, authorities received a report on June 25 of the rape of a juvenile under the age of 14 near Melbourne.
Izard County court records said that after deputies interviewed the victim and collected evidence, the suspect, Ezekiel Kipfer, was identified and located at a residence near Oxford around 2 a.m. on June 26.
The release from the sheriff’s office said, “During an interview with deputies, Kipfer admitted, in detail, having engaged in sexual activities with the juvenile.”
On June 27, Kipfer, 29, of Melbourne, was charged in Izard County Circuit Court with two counts of rape, each a Class Y felony, and sexual assault in the second degree, a Class B felony. His bond was set at $250,000.
The Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division and the Child Advocacy Center of Independence County assisted in the investigation.
Image: Izard County Sheriff’s Office
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