By Ray King
A $50,000 bond was set Friday for a Jefferson County man accused of being an accomplice to a rape and telling the suspect to get out of town after initially being questioned about the incident.
Lincoln County District Judge Phillip Green set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Michael Dixon, 45, with rape and hindering apprehension or prosecution. Green was filling in for Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth.
Reading from a probable cause affidavit from Sheriff’s Investigator Kaylon McDaniel, Deputy Prosecutor Beth Carson said Pine Bluff Police were sent to a reported sexual assault involving a 15-year-old male victim and they contacted the sheriff’s office after learning the incident took place in the county.
The victim told McDaniel that he had been at a residence in the Sulphur Springs area on Aug. 17 and Jeffery Batson, 45, offered to give him a ride home. He said Dixon was driving the vehicle and Batson was in the back seat with him. Th victim said during the ride, Batson performed oral sex on him and forced him to perform oral sex on Batson.
Batson was arrested on Aug. 21 and is currently being held at the adult detention center on a $20,000 cash only bond and on a parole hold.
Carson said investigators located Dixon on Aug. 21 and after Dixon waived his right to an attorney, said he was driving the vehicle with the juvenile in the back seat and said Batson was originally in the front seat but then got in the back seat and told Dixon to turn up the radio so he and the juvenile could talk.
After being questioned, Dixon was released pending further investigation.
On Monday, investigators served a search warrant on Dixon’s cell phone and during an examination, found a social media message from Dixon to Batson saying in part “run dude run” and “get out of the bluff.”
The Public Defender’s Office was appointed to represent Dixon who was ordered to have no contact with the victim until the case is settled.
