A 39-year-old Festus man who had been president of the Twin City Girls Softball League has been charged with one count of statutory sodomy for allegedly molesting a juvenile girl four years ago.
The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Shawn A. Jeffers with one count of statutory sodomy on May 27 after the victim, now 16, filed a report with the Festus Police Department that day.
The statutory sodomy charge is an unclassified felony, and sentencing varies depending on circumstances like the alleged coercion and age of the victim, but in this case, if Jeffers is convicted, he would face five years to life in prison, a Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesman said.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, the juvenile told police Jeffers inappropriately touched her at a Festus home in February or March of 2012.
Virginia Johnson, a Twin City Girls Softball League official, said Jeffers had served as league president and its umpire manager prior to the charge filed against him.
“He is not currently with the league,” she said June 10. “He resigned (on May 31) after the charge was filed. He felt it was best for the league.”
Jeffers filed to run for mayor of Festus in 2011, but authorities removed his name from the ballot after it was discovered he had failed to pay a city water bill. He eventually ran for the position in April 2011 as a write-in candidate, but was among four candidates who lost to current Mayor Mike Cage.
Court records indicate Jeffers was released from Jefferson County Jail on May 31 after posting bail, which had been set at $50,000.
Jeffers did not respond to an email sent to an address for him on the League website. His name and the email address have now been deleted from the site.
A message was also left at the office of Travis Grafe, who is listed as Jeffers’ attorney in court documents.