Wanda English Burnett, Editor

The last day of January when James E. King, 63, of Moores Hill, was arrested, could be his last day of freedom for a long time if he is convicted of crimes he has been charged with.

King was taken into custody on January 31 by State Police Detective Vance Patton, who was armed with an arrest warrant issued from Dearborn County Circuit Court. King has been charged with one count of Child Molesting, a Class A Felony; two counts of Child Molesting, a Class C Felony, and one count of Incest, a Class B Felony. If convicted of those four counts, King could face a maximum of 86 years in prison with a possible fine of up to $40,000, according to Sgt. Noel Houze, public information officer for the Versailles Post of the Indiana State Police.

Not only is King facing charges in Dearborn County, but, he could be facing similar charges in Ripley County, according to Detective Patton, who began the investigation in early January. King has been accused of molesting three girls and a boy between the ages of 10 and 14 in both counties. The alleged violations took place during the summer and early fall months of last year (2007).

King was arrested at his home without incident.

James E. King