Cole County grand jury indicts two area men

The Cole County grand jury handed down two indictments this week, finding there was enough evidence to send the cases onto the cirucit courts for possible trial.

Among those indicted were:

• A homeless man charged with first-degree child molestation for having sexual contact with a child younger than 12 in Jefferson City.

Court records show Glen Stanley, 43, is believed to have committed the crime in September.

The victim told authorities she was touched by Stanley during a car ride as she sat on his lap.

When questioned by authorities, Stanley admitted he later spent time in the residence of the victim and had access to where she stayed in the home, touching her again while she slept on a couch.

Court records show Stanley had previously been convicted of sexual abuse with a weapon in Miller County in October 2002.

He told authorities he has anger issues and is a registered sex offender.

• A Cole County man charged with second-degree domestic assault for an attack in September.

According to court documents, Vincent Ross, 38, is believed to have pushed a child younger than 17 onto a bed, straddled the child and hit the bedroom wall above the child's head several times. He then proceeded to slap the child three or four times in the face and hit the child, bloodying the child's nose and leaving marks on the child's face.

The incident occurred in the 800 block of Route T in Elston.

The boy told authorities this was not the first time Ross had hit him. The child was removed from the residence for his safety.

Ross said he was only disciplining the boy by "popping" him in the mouth with the back of his hand.

Ross has two previous convictions for domestic assault and second-degree burglary.