5 years, 8 months ago by Scott Hardy
Robert Branch charged Friday in Marion County
A Hannibal man, already charged with child sex crimes, now faces more charges after a second victim has come forward.
Marion County Prosecuting Attorney David Clayton says that second victim spoke out in July against 63-year old Robert Branch. Branch has been charged with four more counts of 1st Degree Child Molestation. Branch is alleged to have had sexual contact with the female victim in Hannibal during annual family visits during the 4th of July holiday between 2008 and 2013. In a statement, Clayton says that he anticipates filing more charges against Branch involving the second victim, as she's told authorities about 14 different incidents involving Branch. He's already facing two counts of Child Molestation after his arrest in June. Branch is accused of molesting a second girl in his camper outside Palmyra.
Branch is back in the Monroe County Jail, after earlier posting $100,000 bond. A court date for the new charges hasn't been set, but he's likely to be arraigned on Friday. Branch will have a preliminary hearing on the first two charges August 28th.
