STAUNTON – A man is behind bars amid allegations he sexually assaulted a young girl last year in Staunton, according to police.
On Wednesday, Jonathan S. Barbour, 20, of Charlottesville, was arrested on a charge of rape of a child under the age of 13. He was indicted in October by the Staunton grand jury.
Sgt. Chris Ammons, a spokesperson for the Staunton Police Department, said Barbour is accused of contacting a young girl online in 2023 and then meeting her for sex. Children under the age of 13 cannot legally consent to sex in Virginia. The charge carries an automatic sentence of life in prison if convicted, according to Virginia code.
The alleged rape was reported April 26, 2023, Ammons said. Court records list an offense date on the same day.
The grand jury indicted Barbour on Oct. 21.
He is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona.
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Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Charlottesville man facing rape charge in Staunton