5 Men Have Been Arrested In Connection With Child Sex Crimes Dating Back To 1995

KMBC-TV Channel 9
5 Arrested In Connection With Child Sex Crimes
written by Staff
UPDATED: 10:41 am CST November 11, 2009

BATES CITY, Mo. -- Five family members were arrested on Tuesday in connection with child sex crimes, authorities said.

KMBC's Martin Augustine reported that officers with the Rural Missouri Major Case Squad searched a home and land south of Bates City.

Burrell Edward Mohler Sr., 77, of Independence, was charged with rape of a child younger than 12, felony rape and use of a child in a sexual performance.

Burrell Edward Mohler Jr., 53, of Independence, was charged with deviate sexual assault with a child less than 14 and felony use of a child in a sexual performance.

David A. Mohler, 52, of Lamoni, Iowa, was charged with forcible rape with a child less than 12 by use of forcible compulsion.

Jared Leroy Mohler, 48, of Columbia, Mo., was charged with felony of forcible rape with a child less than 12, forcible sodomy and use of a child in a sexual performance.

Roland Neil Mohler, 47, of Bates City, was chargd with use of a child in a sexual performance.

All five suspects are being held at the Lafayette County Jail.

Neighbors said they were surprised by the charges against Burrell Edward Mohler Sr. They called him a good man who looked after a disabled daughter.

"I'm stunned. It's hard to believe. I'm just stunned," neighbor Deborah Burris said.

Court records show that some of the charges against the five men date back to 1991 and 1995, and at least six of the counts date back to 1988.

A 1 p.m. news conference has been scheduled by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office. Watch it live on KMBC.com.