A 20-year-old Rhea County man has confessed to molesting a 4-year-old boy Thursday afternoon, according to the Rhea County Sheriff's Department.

Detective Rocky Potter, who investigates abuse cases for the county, received a call Thursday at about 8:30 p.m. after deputies learned of the alleged sexual assault while answering a disturbance call at County Line Mobile Home Park.

The man took the boy to his mobile home Thursday afternoon and molested him there, according to Potter. The boy was frightened and waited five or six hours to tell his parents, at which time the boy's father confronted the young man and a fight ensued.
Deputies Kenny Cox and Cary Taylor responded to the mobile home park, learned what had happened and that the young man had fled into the woods west of Rhea County Highway. They then contacted Potter.

Since they knew the identity of the young man, Potter decided not to search the woods at night.

Friday morning, Potter received an anonymous phone call informing him that the young man had exited the woods near the old Pierce's Restaurant and was walking north on Rhea County Highway.

Potter found him and transported him to the sheriff's department for questioning. The young man then gave a full confession, according to Potter.

The investigator collected hair samples from the man and the boy's clothing and sent them to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's forensics lab in Nashville for DNA analysis.
Potter did not arrest the young man but said a case for aggravated sexual battery of a child will be presented directly to the Rhea County Grand Jury on June 7.

This is not the young man's first brush with the law. He was convicted of a similar crime involving a young boy when he was 16 and spent a year in a state youth facility, according to Potter.

The sexual and physical abuse of children is a serious problem in Rhea County, according to Potter. Last year he investigated 88 cases of physical or sexual abuse of children and is now averaging about two and a half cases a week.

Education may be the key to reducing the abuse numbers locally.

This year Potter began spending time in each of the schools allowing students to become familiar with him. Having seen him in the school setting makes young people more willing to talk to him during an investigation, he said.

Next year, if the school board approves, Potter would like to start a monthly "Good Touch-Bad Touch" program in the elementary schools. He said many larger school systems now use the program.

"As a parent, I'd want someone to teach my children what to watch out for from strangers," Potter said.

John Carpenter can be reached at jcarpenter@xtn.net.