On Tuesday, December 13, 2011, in Forsyth, Missouri, Ricky Don Ralston (d/o/b 11/28/1967) was found guilty by a Taney County jury of statutory sodomy in the second degree, statutory rape in the second degree, and sexual misconduct with a child by indecent exposure. The nine-man, three-woman jury deliberated for just under forty-five minutes before arriving at the unanimous guilty verdicts on all charges. Taney County Circuit Court Judge Mark Orr scheduled sentencing for February 9, 2012.

The charges stemmed from allegations that Ralston sexually abused his live-in girlfriend’s teenage daughter, age 15, in his home in Walnut Shade, Taney County, Missouri, from December 2008 through the end of August 2009. A child abuse hotline call prompted an investigation that led to an investigation into the sexual abuse allegations. The indecent exposure charge was the result of a disclosure from the 13 year old son of Ralston’s girlfriend that Ralston had exposed himself to the boy, then made fun of the boy and called him names for having looked at Ralston’s genitals.

Statutory sodomy in the second degree and statutory rape in the second degree are each class C felonies carrying a maximum sentence of up to seven (7) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and/or a fine not to exceed $5,000.00. Sexual misconduct with a child by indecent exposure is a class D felony carrying a maximum sentence of up to four (4) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and/or a fine not to exceed $5,000.00.