Audrain County man charged with nine child sex crimes
Madison Stuerman
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
An Audrain County man has been charged with nine child sex crimes involving two victims.
James Winkler is charged with one count of first-degree attempted rape, one count of first-degree statutory sodomy, one count of incest, five counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of child abuse without sexual contact.
Court documents state Winkler was first accused of trying to have sexual intercourse with victim 1 in 2018. During the investigation, officials learned that siblings of the victim reported physical or sexual abuse by Winkler.
A second victim reported to a school counselor on Aug. 20 about the sexual abuse.
Court documents state the second victim reported three times over the summer Winkler sexually abused them. The child also reported that Winkler had physically abused them by pinching her arm with his fingernails, causing scars.
Investigators said the victim reported Winkler sexually assaulting them every night for two months.
Deputies said while investigating the abuse, Winkler refused to separate from the victim as requested. The deputy wrote Winkler was trying to intimidate the victim by standing in her line of sight, being physically aggressive and making loud negative statements. The child started to shake in fear, according to the deputy, and was put into a law enforcement vehicle to separate her from his behavior.
Documents state Children’s Division records show he was investigated multiple times for allegations, including physical abuse.
Online court records show that a no-bond warrant for his arrest was issued, but has not been served.