CASS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged sex crimes involving a Kansas man and looking for more possible victims.
Last month, police were notified of two middle school age girls who had reportedly been involved in sexual acts with a man, according to a media release from Harrisonville, Missouri Polce.
Police investigators seized the girls' smart phones to collect data. Police found evidence of several sex crimes that occurred in public places in the Harrisonville area at all hours of the day.
Statements from the victims helped police identify the suspect and his vehicle.
On June 4, an officer with the Platte City Police Department contacted the man during a traffic stop. Harrisonville officers came and arrested him and transported him to the Cass County Jail
Austin C. Muse, 25, of Emporia, Kansas, has been charged with several sex crimes:
- One count of first-degree statutory rape or attempted statutory rape involving a person younger than 14
- Two counts of statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy involving a person younger than 14
- Three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor
- One count of second-degree statutory sodomy
- One count of enticement or attempted enticement of a child younger than 17
The Harrisonville Police Department urges parents and guardians to be aware of what their children are doing on electronic devices.
"The suspect in this case had minimal criminal history, was not from this area and had no currently identified connection to Harrisonville," police said. "This predator was able to groom the victims and orchestrate all of these crimes through various social media platforms. The people looking to commit crimes such as these will travel great distances in pursuit of their victims."
Police are also sharing information about the case in the event that there are more unidentified victims. Anyone with information on this case or the suspect is asked to contact the Investigations Unit at the Harrisonville Police Department at 816-380-8940.
Muse is being held at the Cass County Jail with no bond allowed.