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Princeton man charged with sexually abusing two juveniles

Bluefield Daily Telegraph - 12/3/2019

Dec. 3--PRINCETON -- A Mercer County man has been charged with six counts of first-degree sexual assault and 10 counts of first-degree sexual abuse after two male juveniles told investigators that he sexually assaulted them on numerous occasions.

Frankie Dale Belcher, 64, of Princeton was arraigned before Magistrate Sandra Dorsey and remanded to the Southern Regional Jail in lieu of a $100,000 cash or surety bond. The investigation started Nov. 25 when Trooper J.I. Jones of the West Virginia State Police Princeton detachment responded to sexual assault allegations made by two male juveniles.

The juveniles said Belcher had sexually assaulted them on multiple occasions over the span of several months, Jones stated in his criminal complaint. Jones observed forensic interviews conducted by Child Protest staff for both juveniles, who said Belcher lured them to his farm with the prospect of making money in exchange for manual labor.

One juvenile said he started visiting and eventually staying at Belcher's farm in the summer of 2016. He stated that he and another boy would visit the farm "nearly every weekend" to work, but advised that they actually did very little work around the property. Most of their time was spent shooting pool and riding Belcher's four-wheeler, Jones said in his report. The juvenile said Belcher continued to lure him to his property by paying him cash for minimal work, and by allowing him access to the four-wheeler.

Jones said the first juvenile stated that he had known Belcher for several years and "believed the defendant was a good man and had no ill intentions for him."

The first juvenile said that Belcher then bought a dirt bike for him, and was told that he now had to do anything for him because of the gift, Jones said. The juvenile advised him that he would not, "knowing the defendant was grooming him and planning to sexually assault and abuse" him.

The juvenile said the other boy stopped coming to the property, and that Belcher "almost immediately" started making sexual advances, Jones said. Belcher would ask the first juvenile to rub his shoulders, which he would do.

During the forensic interview, the first juvenile said Belcher would lay on top of him and attempt to touch his privates, Jones said in the report. The juvenile said he was "shocked and confused" by what Belcher was doing and fearful of saying anything due to the weapons Belcher left out in the open at the home. Belcher was "subtle" at first, but later would openly grab his privates.

The juvenile said he did not know how to make Belcher stop or how to tell his father, "as he (Belcher) persuaded (the juvenile) the abuse occurring was normal behavior, Jones said.

The second juvenile made similar statements during his forensic interview, Jones said. Belcher would bribe him in an attempt to get him to perform sex acts. Belcher also offered to buy him a four-wheeler, a cow, and even offered land and to be put in Belcher's will.

Jones said in this report that he spoke to Belcher on Nov. 30. Belcher voluntarily agreed to come to the West Virginia State Police Princeton detachment. During a recorded interview, Belcher admitted to grabbing both juveniles' privates and performing sex acts on them.

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