Brixey man faces sexual charges involving teenager


Matthew Hannaford

A Brixey man, Matthew Hannaford, 32, has been charged with one count of statutory rape in the second degree and two counts of statutory sodomy in the second degree involving a victim younger than 17 years old. According to online records, Hannaford waived formal arraignment and on July 10, Associate Circuit Judge Cynthia MacPherson ruled that he could be released from custody under monitoring by Court Probationary Services.
The charges stem from a legal case that began May 22, when Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. Curtis Dobbs was contacted by an investigator with the Division of Family Services about a possible sexual child abuse incident. The investigator made arrangements for the alleged victim, age 15, to be interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center in West Plains.
During the recorded interview, the victim said she had been hired by Hannaford to help haul hay in 2017. During this time, she said, she began staying at the Hannaford residence.
In the probable cause statement Dobbs wrote that, in July 2017, while the teenager was staying at the Hannaford residence, Hannaford told her “she could come to bed with him and snuggle once his wife left for work in the morning.”
After the first sexual encounter, Hannaford told the victim “to act like nothing had ever happened,” the statement says.
The girl described other sexual incidents that occurred in July 2017 in the Hannaford home and one encounter that occurred in Hannaford’s vehicle. She also said that in August 2017, she spent the night at the Hannaford residence again, sleeping on the couch, and was awakened by Hannaford touching her sexually.
When Dobbs interviewed Hanna-ford at the sheriff’s office on May 30, Hannaford admitted that some sexual contact with the teenager had occurred but denied other sexual accusations, saying he felt what happened was wrong. He said he was asleep during the initial sexual contact, and he denied having sexual intercourse with the girl.
Hannaford, who is represented by attorney Branden Scott Twibell of Springfield, is scheduled to appear in court at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, for a trial setting.

Ozark County Times

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