Kentucky Teen Who Went On Multi-State Crime Spree Charged With Rape

Kentucky Teen Who Went On Multi-State Crime Spree Charged With Rape
This booking photo provided by the Bay County Sheriff's Office shows 18-year-old Dalton Hayes following his arrest, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, in Panama City Beach, Fla. Hayes and his 13-year-old girlfriend are suspected in a crime spree of stolen vehicles and pilfered checks across the U.S. South, and both have been taken into custody. The couple vanished from their small hometown in western Kentucky earlier this month. (AP Photo)
This booking photo provided by the Bay County Sheriff's Office shows 18-year-old Dalton Hayes following his arrest, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, in Panama City Beach, Fla. Hayes and his 13-year-old girlfriend are suspected in a crime spree of stolen vehicles and pilfered checks across the U.S. South, and both have been taken into custody. The couple vanished from their small hometown in western Kentucky earlier this month. (AP Photo)

By Steve Bittenbender

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb 4 (Reuters) - A Kentucky teenager arrested last month along with his underage girlfriend after an alleged crime spree has been charged with second-degree rape and is set to appear in court on Monday, according to court documents and the court clerk.

Dalton Hayes, 18, remains in jail in Grayson County, an hour's drive southwest of Louisville.

The grand jury returned an indictment on the rape charge, as well as on two counts of theft of more than $10,000, one count of burglary and a count of custodial interference, according to court documents obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

Hayes and Cheyenne Phillips, 13, surrendered without incident on Jan. 18 after they were surrounded by local law enforcement in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Phillips was reported missing on Jan. 3 by her father and the teens were on the run for about two weeks. Besides Kentucky, law enforcement officials suspect the two of stealing vehicles in South Carolina and Georgia.

Under Kentucky state law, second-degree rape occurs when someone aged 18 or older has any sexual contact, consensual or not, with a minor under the age of 14.

The charge carries a prison term of up to 10 years under Kentucky law. Hayes faces similar terms for the theft charges if found guilty. (Editing by Fiona Ortiz and Eric Walsh)

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