CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (News First) – A man from Southeast Missouri, on Friday, admitted recording his rape of a minor with an intellectual disability. 46-year-old Jason R. Hicks-Simpson of Poplar Bluff pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. The 17-year-old victim sought help from Hicks-Simpson’s girlfriend in getting the abuse to stop, according to the plea agreement.
The girlfriend contacted the victim’s mother, who called the Poplar Bluff Police Department in March of this year. The victim told investigators that Hicks-Simpson had been sexually abusing her since she was five. She also said Hicks-Simpson threatened to kill her and her kittens if she did not keep it a secret. After his arrest, Hicks-Simpson told police that it had only happened once several months earlier.
However, investigators say they found videos dating back to May of 2023 on his phone. Hicks-Simpson will be sentenced on January 31st of 2025. As part of the plea agreement for his guilty plea, both sides have agreed to recommend 20 years in prison for Hicks-Simpson.
