By Patrick Yost
Editor

A Madison man has been arrested and charged with statutory rape in connection with a rape complaint filed by a 15-year-old girl on May 9. According to Det. Wes Thompson, Madison Police Department, the girl also faces criminal charges.
Christopher Bernard Cooper, 27, Madison, was arrested last Friday after authorities secured DNA evidence that, Thompson said, placed Cooper at the girl's Carmichael Road residence. Cooper was arrested without incident and charged with statutory rape. According to Thompson, statutory rape is a felony and is defined by allegedly having sexual relations with a person under 16-years-of-age.
Initially the girl told authorities an unknown man entered her residence at 2:30 a.m., placed a knife to her throat and raped her.
Thompson said after an investigation by both the Madison Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, authorities now contend that Cooper knew the victim and that the sexual relations were "consensual."
Thompson said both the victim and Cooper told authorities under further questioning that the event was consensual.
Thompson said the victim, who is a juvenile, faces possible misdemeanor charges of false report of a crime and a possible felony charge of false statement to police.
Madison Police Chief Travis Stapp said the arrest should comfort the residents of the Beacon Heights neighborhood.
"They were afraid that we had a person walking the streets and going into people's houses. That was not the case," he said.
"Hopefully this arrest will allay some of the fears."

Printed in the May 31, 2012 edition