Published: May 20, 2008 05:18 pm            

Man held for alleged sex with preteen

A 19-year-old Tennessee man is being held in Floyd County Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond for allegedly having sex with a 12-year-old girl while visiting Southern Indiana, court records show.

John Kelvin Harshaw Jr., whose official address is recorded in East Knoxville, Tenn., is charged with class B felony child molesting in Floyd County Superior Court, records say. If Harshaw is convicted, he could be imprisoned for six to 20 years and pay a fine of up to $10,000.

Harshaw was arrested last week and had an initial hearing Monday, where the cash-only bond was set.

Harshaw told police he was in town visiting his stepmother and father on Mother’s Day, according to a probable-cause affidavit. He admitted having sexual intercourse with the girl, who is a relative by marriage, records say.

The alleged victim told authorities that she had intercourse with Harshaw five or six times, starting when she was 11, and had told him several times they should stop because she didn’t “want to get caught.” She noted Harshaw kept asking her for sex and she would give in because it felt like “peer pressure.”

Harshaw’s next court appearance is set for June 26, and a jury trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 29.

        

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