Man pleads not guilty to statutory rape involving 14-year-old girl

A soldier from El Paso, Texas, is accused of “engaging in sexual intercourse” with a 14-year-old girl who responded to his Craigslist ad, according to testimony Friday in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Cody Moose, who has been staying in Columbus since May 25, pleaded not guilty to statutory rape, child molestation and distributing material depicting nudity.

Detective Amanda Hogan of the Columbus Police Department’s Special Victim Unit said officers were dispatched around 3:26 a.m. May 30 to the victim’s home. Upon arrival, police spoke with the victim’s mother who reported witnessing “an unknown white male having sexual intercourse with her 14-year-old daughter.”

The mother told police that she confronted the attacker and told him that her daughter was underage. He allegedly told her that he didn’t know that and ran out of the residence naked before officials arrived on the scene.

Hogan said the victim initially told detectives that he came to the door, she opened it and he forced himself inside the home. She later told police that she actually met Moose online after responding to his Craigslist ad, which stated “Sunday. Male looking for a female,” the detective told the court.

“He answers her and they start talking,” Hogan testified. “Straight out the gate, he sends her a picture of his body from the neck down showing complete nudity.”

The name “Moose” was tattooed across his abdomen, according to police. He allegedly sent her a second photo of his face while sitting in a hotel room at Fort Benning.

She then sent him a picture of her dressed only in her undergarments. Hogan said she looks underage, but there was no evidence that he ever questioned her about her age.

They discussed him visiting her sometime after midnight.

Moose was taken into custody at 12 a.m. Wednesday on Fort Benning Road. During his interview with police, he said he has two tattoos, including one of his last name.

Police said he became upset after they informed him that child molestation would be one of his charges.

“He said, ‘So she really was 14? I had no idea. She told me she was 18,” Hogan testified.

He told Hogan that he asked the girl how old she was twice while he was in her home, and she told him she was 18 both times.

Attorney Jennifer Curry, who represented Moose, asked Hogan whether Craigslist provided a disclaimer that users of the website were required to be 18 and older. Hogan said that was the case, but often times juveniles use the website despite the disclaimer.

Judge Michael Joyner ordered Moore held in the Muscogee County Jail under bonds totaling $10,500. The case was bound over to Superior Court. Joyner said the bonds are low because of “the circumstances.”

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Man pleads not guilty to statutory rape involving 14-year-old girl."