Man charged with attempted rape

An alert officer's observation Wednesday night, while Jefferson City police were searching for a man in a mental investigation case, resulted in prosecutors charging that man on Friday with attempted rape, forcible sodomy and three other felonies.

Brett E. Courtney, 42, 206 Indian Meadow Drive, was being held in the Cole County Jail Friday evening, with no bond set.

He's charged with breaking into a home just two blocks from his home, about 1:45 a.m. July 9, and assaulting a 16-year-old girl who was alone in the home.

The girl's name and home address were not released in any of the police statements or prosecutor's charges.

A police probable cause statement said Courtney "took physical control of the juvenile female by tying her up, forced (her) into another room and sexually assaulted her."

The victim said her attacker wore a ski mask and showed her what appeared to be a firearm.

"He struck the victim multiple times with (the weapon) and with a heavy glass object," the police statement reported.

The victim said her attacker "used force to touch" her breast and genitals.

He also forced her to touch him, the police said.

"The defendant made sexually explicit remarks to the victim, indicating he wanted sexual contact," the report also said.

Prosecutors charged Courtney with attempted forcible rape, two counts of forcible sodomy, kidnapping (by forcing her from one room to another room in her home), first-degree burglary and armed criminal action.