Stokesdale man charged with rape, statuatory rape

From staff reports
Published: August 29, 2008

STOKESDALE – Darrel Delane Thomas is charged with three counts of statutory rape and two counts first-degree rape after being released on bail regarding a statutory rape charge in July.

Thomas, 40, of 1284 N.C. 68 in Stokesdale in Guilford County, is charged with rape of a child under 13, rape of a girl aged 13 and statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl from Sept. 1 2006 to Feb. 28. Thomas was also accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl from Aug.10 to Sept. 1, 2006.

Thomas is in the Rockingham County Jail under $1 million bail.

He was charged July 15 with statutory rape, indecent liberties with a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was freed on $250,000 bail.

“It was while he was out on bond that, as late as July, there were additional offenses,” said Dean Venable, a spokesman for the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office.

In July, sex offender Jason Lee Tuggle, 26, of 308 7th Ave. in Mayodan, was charged with statutory rape after violating house arrest. Tuggle was convicted of indecent liberties with a child in 2004.

Tuggle wore a monitoring anklet and was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to attempted assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities charged him with statutory rape for activities that led to him breaking off his monitoring anklet and fleeing.