A 42-year-old Rogersville man is in the Greene County jail, accused of raping a 13-year-old girl after supplying her with alcohol.
Quenton Toriono Harris is charged with first-degree statutory rape and endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held on a $100,000 bond.
According to the probable cause statement filed against Harris, Greene County deputies responded on Jan. 21 to a report of a rape involving a 13-year-old victim that allegedly occurred in the early morning hours of that day.
The alleged juvenile victim disclosed to deputies she was raped at around 4 a.m. while she was asleep on a futon in the living room of a home of another juvenile friend.
The girl told deputies that she was bleeding as a result of the events that happened with Harris.
According to the statement, a deputy responded to the house and obtained consent to search the residence. The deputy spoke to juveniles who said they drank alcohol the night before.
The witnesses said the alleged victim told them her head hurt around 3 a.m., and that she went to lie down on the futon. About an hour later, the witnesses said, the girl came into a bedroom and said she had been raped by Harris.
A forensic interview was conducted that afternoon in Springfield at the Child Advocacy Center. During the interview, the alleged victim said she drank alcohol Harris had purchased. She said her friends told her Harris was making vulgar comments about wanting to sexually assault her and that Harris smacked her on the buttocks, according to the probable cause statement.
Witness says Harris bought American Honey alcohol for kids
During the forensic interview, the girl described being asleep, but waking with Harris on top of her, raping her. She described pushing Harris off of her and going into a bathroom. The girl said Harris attempted to get into the bathroom, but she had locked the door. She said he went into another bedroom, which also has access to the bathroom via another door, but she was able to lock the second door.
A medical exam showed the girl had injuries and bleeding consistent with trauma caused during sexual intercourse, according to the probable cause statement.
During a later interview, another juvenile said Harris purchased Wild Turkey American Honey, a liqueur blended with whiskey, at the juvenile’s request. When they returned to Harris’ residence, the juveniles and Harris drank the alcohol. The juvenile described the victim as being extremely intoxicated, and told investigators the girl fell down from being intoxicated at one point.
According to the probable cause statement, the witness said she heard Harris make several “inappropriate sexual comments,” which she believed to be directed at the alleged victim. The witness said she helped the alleged victim to the living room so the alleged victim could lie down and go to sleep. The witness returned to the bedroom but then peeked out the bedroom door around 4 a.m. to check on the alleged victim. The witness told investigators they saw Harris on the futon behind the alleged victim.
The witness described hearing the alleged victim make a loud “gasp” sound and that Harris looked at the witness “straight in the eyes,” according to the probable cause statement. The witness said she woke up another juvenile, told her what she saw and the two juveniles confronted Harris, who was standing at the bathroom door with his hand on the door knob and the victim inside.
Deputy described Harris as ‘career criminal'
According to the probable cause statement, the witness said they were scared to say what happened when sheriff's deputies arrived at the house, because Harris told them not to talk to the officers.
The deputy noted in his report Harris has an “extensive criminal history” and “should be considered a career criminal.” The deputy also wrote Harris continued to contact the juvenile witnesses through text messages and has attempted to get them to lie to law enforcement agents about the events on Jan. 21.
Harris is scheduled for a counsel status hearing Feb. 21 in Greene County Associate Circuit Judge Margaret Palmietto’s courtroom.
Harris does not yet have a defense attorney, according to online court records.
