Troy Man Faces Statutory Rape, Sodomy Charges Involving Child Under 14
- John Eads
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
TROY, Mo. — A child who left home late Friday night and went to a friend’s house became the center of a Lincoln County criminal investigation hours later, ending with a Troy man jailed without bond and facing 10 felony charges.
The child, who is under 14, was interviewed at the Emergency Child Advocacy Center shortly after midnight Sunday, Aug. 9. She described spending Friday night and part of Saturday at the Troy-area home of Ja’Shawn Stephon Kline, an adult she knew.
What she described led investigators to Kline.
Ja’Shawn Stephon Kline, Troy, Missouri
Charges:
Four counts of first-degree statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy — felony
Two counts of first-degree statutory rape or attempted statutory rape — felony
Two counts of first-degree sexual abuse — Class C felony
One count of third-degree child molestation — Class C felony
One count of sexual misconduct involving a child — Class E felony
The child told investigators she had left her home around 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and went to Kline’s residence in Lincoln County. She said she left her cellphone behind because her parents could track its location.
During the time she spent at the residence, the child described repeated sexual contact involving Kline. The allegations span multiple incidents from Friday night into Saturday and form the basis of the 10 charges now pending against him.
Lincoln CountyWatch is not publishing the most graphic details contained in the court filing because of the victim’s age. The records describe multiple forms of sexual contact, including intercourse, and accuse Kline of continuing the conduct at different times during the child’s stay at the residence.
One of the most disturbing allegations came when the child told Kline that if they were caught, she would tell everything.
She said Kline threatened to “chop her up into pieces and throw her in a pond.”
Investigators interviewed Kline at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office early Sunday morning.
Kline acknowledged knowing the child’s age. During the interview, he also admitted that sexual contact and intercourse had occurred between him and the child inside his residence. He provided investigators with descriptions of several of the sexual acts, while denying portions of the child’s account.
The investigation led prosecutors to pursue 10 separate felony counts.
Four accuse Kline of first-degree statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy, while two accuse him of first-degree statutory rape or attempted statutory rape. He also faces two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of third-degree child molestation and one count of sexual misconduct involving a child.
The first-degree statutory rape and statutory sodomy charges involving a child under 14 are among the most serious charges filed in the case and can carry sentences up to life imprisonment.
A Lincoln County judge issued a warrant for Kline’s arrest with no bond authorized. Court records show Kline remains in custody.
Read the full probable cause statement here.
Editor’s note: Lincoln CountyWatch has intentionally omitted several explicit descriptions involving the child from this story. The complete probable cause statement is available above for readers who wish to review the original court filing. It contains graphic descriptions of alleged sexual abuse involving a child.
Kline’s next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 13, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Michael R. Jacobs in Lincoln County Associate Division III for a bond review hearing.
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Story by: John Eads
Primary Sources
Probable cause statement
Arrest warrant
Case.net
Lincoln County Circuit Court records
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office
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