A Sallisaw man has been charged with six counts of sexual crimes with at least four underage females during a time span that extends from January 2012 to the present day.
Rusty J. Waters, 44, is facing three counts of child sexual abuse and three counts of rape. The charges were filed against Waters Dec. 22, 2021, in Sequoyah County District Court.
According to an affidavit filed by Sallisaw Police Department Investigator Coty Biles, one of the victims was still in diapers when the alleged sexual abuse began in 2012 and continued to the present day. The victim told female investigators in a forensic interview that she wore diapers until she was about six or seven because she wet the bed. The crimes involved at least four different victims.
In the forensic interview with one of the victims, Biles said in the affidavit the incidents occurred at various locations in the area, such as the Sallisaw City Park, Gans, motels and private homes in the Sallisaw area.
The offenses involved Waters allegedly touching the girls on their private parts and forcible rape by penetration and forcible oral sex, according to the affidavit. The offenses continued until the girls were 13 or 14 years old.
Biles said the investigation was started after an alleged assault report was taken by patrol officers from a relative of one of the victims.
Sequoyah County District Attorney Jack Thorp filed the charges against Waters Dec. 22, alleging three counts of child sexual abuse and three counts of first-degree rape.
Child sexual abuse is a felony and is described as willfully/maliciously sexually abusing a minor child under the age of 16 at the time of the incident, by sexually abusing the victim for years through molestation and penetration. The crime is alleged to have been perpetrated on three different victims, according to court records.
The crime is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or by a fine of not less $500 nor more than $5,000 or both.
First-degree rape is a felony and described as the use of force, threats, violence that involves the perpetrator having carnal knowledge and sexual penetration and intercourse with the victim against her will and consent.
Rape in the first-degree is punishable by death or imprisonment in the state penitentiary not less than five years. Editor's Note: Charges were not filed in connection with the fourth victim due to the main victim stating she believed the relationship has continued willingly on the part of the fourth victim.
