A Melbourne resident has been arrested and faces serious charges following allegations of rape and sexual assault involving a juvenile under the age of 14, as reported by the Izard County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities were alerted to the incident on June 25th, prompting an investigation that led to the identification of Ezekiel Kipfer, 29, who was located at a residence near Oxford around 2 a.m. on June 26th.
According to court records, after interviewing the victim and gathering evidence, deputies confronted Kipfer, who reportedly confessed in detail to engaging in sexual activities with the juvenile during subsequent interviews. On June 27th, Kipfer was formally charged in Izard County Circuit Court with two counts of rape, classified as Class Y felonies, and sexual assault in the second degree, categorized as a Class B felony. His bond has been set at $250,000.
The investigation received support from the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division and the Child Advocacy Center of Independence County.
