Full Notification

BENTON, MISSOURI - Scott County Sheriff Wes Drury reports an Oran man was arrested on several charges after a vehicle stop Thursday night in Scott County.

James Griswell (22), of Oran has been charged with the Class D Felony of Statutory Rape X2, Class E Felony of Fail to Register as a Sex Offender, Class B Felony of Burglary 1st, Class B Misdemeanor of Possession of a Defaced Firearm, Class A Misdemeanor of Resisting or Interfering with Arrest, Class A Misdemeanor of Endangering the Welfare of a child 2nd degree, Class D Misdemeanor of Possession of Marijuana less than 10 grams, and Class B Misdemeanor of Property Damage 2nd degree.

Sheriff Drury states that on Thursday, April 13, 2017 at approximately 1521 hours, a Scott County Detective was patrolling the Oran area when he identified Griswell operating a motor vehicle near the intersection of County Highway 261 and Main Street in Oran. Inside the vehicle with Griswell was a female in the front passenger seat, and a small child in the back seat. The detective was aware of pending charges for Griswell, after he failed to register as a Sex Offender. A traffic stop was initiated on County Highway 261, just north of Oran. During the stop, Griswell fled on foot and deputies began a search that lasted approximately two hours. While searching several out buildings and tree lines, the Sheriff’s Office received a call that a subject matching the description of Griswell was seen running across a field and entered a garage of a residence.

While in the garage, Griswell knocked on the back door of the residence that was occupied at the time, and the home owner didn’t open the back door. Griswell then pulled down the attic ladder in the garage and climbed into the attic. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence and located Griswell inside the attic hiding under insulation. Griswell was taken into custody without incident.

During the search of Griswell’s vehicle at the location of the stop, deputies located a loaded 9mm Semi-Automatic handgun with a defaced serial number. Also inside the vehicle, deputies located a plastic bag containing less than 10 grams of a green leafy substance which field tested positive for Marijuana. While Detectives began talking with the front seat passenger of Griswell’s vehicle, she stated she and Griswell had been driving around talking while smoking marijuana. She advised the small child was inside the vehicle while they were smoking marijuana.

The Scott County Sheriff’s Office also received information that Griswell was the suspect from a Statutory Rape that occurred in Morley on Friday, March 3rd, 2017. Griswell was interviewed about the incident from March 3rd, and confessed to having contact with the victim. Griswell also admitted to having contact with the same victim in late February of this year.

Griswell was arrested and transported to the Scott County Jail pending formal charges.

James Griswell is currently being held in the Scott County jail on a $50,000 cash or surety bond for the Class D Felony Statutory Rape X2. Bond was set by the court at $50,000 cash or surety.

Griswell is also being held on a $10,000 cash only bond on Fail to register as a sex offender, Burglary, and other related charges.