Rhea County sheriff's deputies have arrested three local men in connection with unrelated sex crime cases involving children.

The Rhea County Grand Jury issued original indictments against all three during its June session. Christopher Broome, 30, of Riverhill Drive in Dayton, is charged with aggravated statutory rape. Julius Weaver, 72, of High Point Road, Evensville, is charged with three counts of aggravated sexual battery, and Christopher Shane Davault, 31, of Dayton Mountain Highway, is charged with rape of a child and two counts of solicitation of a minor.

The Child Abuse Hotline received a call on Feb. 23 alleging that a 14-year-old girl now in foster care had been raped by Davault three years ago, according to Potter.

The girl only revealed the information after extensive counseling, Potter said.

The rape allegedly occurred while the girl was staying at Davault's Dayton Mountain home when she was 11.

On April 25 Potter questioned Davault about the incident, and the man gave a statement, Potter said.

He was released from the Rhea County Jail last week after posting a $20,000 bond.

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services Child Abuse Hotline received a phone call on March 29 alleging that a 16-year-old girl was engaged in a coerced sexual relationship with Broome.

When Detective Rocky Potter, who investigates crimes against children for the Rhea County Sheriff's Department, interviewed the girl, she admitted to the sexual relationship with Broome but said he had coerced her through various promises made.

Potter then questioned Broome, who gave a statement, he said.

Broome was released from the Rhea County Jail after posting a $10,000 bond.

Rhea County Sgt. Kenneth Stout took a report on May 15 from an 11-year-old girl's mother, who alleged that Weaver, an acquaintance, had sexually molested her daughter. Stout then contacted Potter, who interviewed the girl, along with investigators from the Department of Children's Services and Children's Protective Services.

The girl and her young brother sometimes played at Weaver's home because he has grandchildren their age, Potter said. On May 14 the two children went over to Weaver's home to play, but he was the only one there. He convinced the two children to come inside and play while they waited for their playmate, Potter said.

The girl told Potter that Weaver got her alone and made sexually explicit comments to her and then proceeded to touch her inappropriately three times that afternoon. As soon as she returned home, the girl told her mother, according to Potter.

The detective then questioned Weaver, who gave a statement, Potter said.

Weaver was released from the Rhea County Jail after posting a $10,000 bond.

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