A local man has been charged with a felony after authorities say he impregnated a juvenile.
Larry S. “Bubba” Fountain Jr., 37, of Eupora is being held in the Webster County Jail on a charge of statutory rape.
Fountain was originally arrested May 2 by the Webster County Sheriff’s Department on two warrants with a “hold” from Bolivar County. He was released to the custody of a deputy from that county on May 3, and brought back here Friday and jailed on the statutory rape charge.
Fountain had an initial appearance that afternoon in Webster County Justice Court before Judge Rebecca Ellison, who bound him over to the grand jury. She set his bond at $50,000 and appointed public defender Stephanie Mallette to represent him.
Investigator Landon Griffin said the WCSD had received information from the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services about a child who was possibly the victim of statutory rape.
“Based on information we received and our investigation, we found out the child had a baby,” he said.
The girl was 14 at the time of the relationship and when she became pregnant, according to Griffin. The investigation led to a court order to obtain a DNA sample from Fountain. Based on the DNA results, an affidavit was issued for his arrest on the statutory rape charge, Griffin said.
Fountain was serving a 75-day sentence in Bolivar County for unrelated child support issues and will continue to serve that sentence during his jail time here.
