Police: Victims in separate cases were 9, 3 years old; Investigations ongoing

WHEELERSBURG — Two men in Wheelersburg were arrested and charged this week in separate cases after the sheriff’s office said they raped child victims.

In the first case, a man was arrested and charged with two counts of rape on Wednesday, Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman said, after his office received a report that a child had been assaulted.

Shannon Ray Bobst, 21, of Allegheny Hill Road, has also been charged with two counts of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony, in addition to first-degree felony rape charges.

Thoroughman said that his office was contacted on Wednesday by Scioto County Children’s Services, stating that they had received a report that a child had been sexually assaulted.  

A safety plan was put in place for the victim at that time.

The sheriff  said Det. Sgt. Jodi Conkel, working jointly with the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim Unit, started an investigation. 

The investigation revealed that the victim would have been 9 years old on the date of these assaults.

Bobst was set to appear in Ports-mouth Munic-ipal Court on Friday.

In the second case, Thoroughman said his office was contacted Thursday by Scioto County Children’s Services, stating that they had received a report that a 3-year-old child may have been sexually assaulted. 

Arrested was Travis Tyler Risner, 23, of Turkey Foot Road. 

He has been charged with two counts of rape, a first-degree felony and one count of importuning, a third-degree felony.

He was being held on a $210,000 bond and was set to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Friday.

Thoroughman said that Conkel, working jointly with the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim Unit, began an investigation after his office was contacted. 

The investigation revealed that the victim was age 3 and the possible existence of another victim, who would have been age 10. 

Detectives located the suspect at his residence and transported him to the Sheriff’s Office for an interview, where he was arrested.

Thoroughman stated that these are still ongoing investigations that could involve more victims.  

The quick arrests were the result of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, Scioto County Children Services, and the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office working cooperatively as a team.

Anyone with information should contact Conkel at 740-351-1091.