A 26 year old Smithville man has been arrested by the Police Department on rape charges.
Smithville Police Chief Thomas J. Stufano says Derek Charles Riggs of 329 Smith Road was arrested Friday on two counts of Rape of a Child and two counts of Aggravated Sexual Battery of a Child under age 7.
According to Chief Stufano, “Smithville Investigators assigned to the Sexual Assault unit had received information from a family member that Riggs was having sexual contact with his two biological children ages 4 and 6 in a motor home he was staying in on Smith Road. Through a series of interviews with family members and the juvenile victims along with forensic information, Investigators were able to determine that Riggs had sodomized and raped his four year old daughter and six year old son on a number of occasions. Smithville Police conducted a taped interview with Riggs who did admit to the sexual contacts. Riggs was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail under a $400,000 bond. The children will remain in the custody of their mother. ”
Chief Stufano says “This is the second high profile case involving the rape of infant and minor children within recent months. Smithville Police have created a specialized unit to handle sexual assaults and are working very closely with the Department of Children Services, the DeKalb County School system, and the District Attorney’s Office. It is incumbent upon everyone to report suspicious activity involving our most precious resource, our children. The citizens of Smithville have been extremely helpful in detecting suspicious activity in our city neighborhoods. Neighborhood Crime Watch is working!
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