James Cory Utter
ATHENS-On Wednesday, June 15 the Athens Police received a call from Southside Alabama Police requesting assistance in locating a missing 12-year-old female. Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson released a statement concerning the missing girl:
“Late yesterday afternoon the police department received a call from the Southside Alabama Police Department. They requested our assistance with the location a missing 12-year-old female.
They suspected that she was with James Cory Utter which is 28. They ask us to check an address he had used to when he bought a used vehicle a few days earlier. They gave an address on North Jefferson Street.
While officers were on the way to check the residence Southside police was able to activate the vehicles GPS system. They were able to track the vehicle to the area of Hwy 72 and Jefferson Street. Our officers were able to locate the vehicle in the Hardee’s parking lot. The 12-year-old was located in the vehicle. Utter was located inside of Hardees. It is our understanding Utter and the female meet each other on social media.
Both subjects were transported to the police department where they were interviewed by investigators from Southside Police Department and our department. After the interviews Utter was charged with one count of rape 2nd degree, one count of sodomy 2nd degree and one count of sexual abuse 2nd degree. All these charges occurred in the City of Athens.
Investigators have also seized 2 cellphones and a computer that belong to Utter. The investigation into this case continues both here and in Southside. More charges are possible in both jurisdictions. Last night Utter was booked at the police department and transferred to the county jail.
Rape in the 2nd degree is defined as: being 16 years old or older, he or she engages in sexual intercourse with a member of the opposite sex less than 16 and more than 12 years old: provided, however, the actor is at least two years older than the member of the opposite sex.
Sodomy in the 2nd degree is defined as: A person commits the crime of sodomy 2nd degree if: he being 16 years or older, engages in deviant sexual intercourse with another person less than 16 and more than 12 years old.
Sexual abuse in the second degree is defined as: he being 19 years old or older, subjects another person to sexual contact who is less than 16 years old but more than 12 years old.”
