Prison employee charged with child molestation

CHARLESTON -- A preliminary hearing was set Wednesday for a Southeast Correctional Center employee who is charged with three counts of child molestation.

Roger Dale Rutledge, 53, of Charleston waived his formal arraignment Wednesday, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 1 before Judge Terry Lynn Brown in the 33rd Judicial Circuit Court. Bond reduction was also denied.

Rutledge, who is employed in probation and parole administration at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 5 on three counts of first degree, class B felony child molestation charges, according to Mississippi County Deputy Sheriff Janice McCameron.

McCameron said the number of victims is still under investigation; however all victims were under 14 years old. Identities of the victims are also not being released, and an investigation continues, McCameron said Wednesday.

Bond is set at $200,000, and Rutledge remains in the Mississippi County Jail at this time.