West Plains man wanted for rape in Arkansas arrested after standoff with police

WEST PLAINS, Mo. — A West Plains man wanted on rape charges in Arkansas is in custody after an hours-long standoff with police.

According to a press release from the West Plains Police Department (WPPD), officers responded to a residence on Tiffany Street at around 5:15 p.m. on Sept. 19 after receiving information that a wanted man was living there.

When officers arrived, 38-year-old James Michael Meese ran into the house and barricaded himself inside, the press release said. The WPPD Crisis Negotiations team attempted to negotiate with Meese, who refused to exit the home.

After several hours, police were able to get inside the house and took Meese into custody.

Arkansas court records show Meese has been charged with rape, three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and first-degree terroristic threatening.

A probable cause statement from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office says a 14-year-old girl told deputies that she had been having sex with Meese since May 2024. She said she had initially met him two years ago when she and another juvenile girl wanted to smoke marijuana and contacted Meese, who provided them with the drugs.

The victim said she asked Meese to get a vape for her in May, according to documents. During their meetup, the victim claimed Meese was high and rubbed her “private areas” on the outside of her clothes.

At a later meeting, the victim told deputies that she mentioned talking to the police, because “this was not right.” Meese threatened the victim, saying that “if [the victim] ruins his and his daughter’s life that he would kill her” or “he would find someone to kill her.”

The victim met with Meese on Sept. 15 to “end it,” documents say, but despite multiple refusals, Meese had sex with her anyway and recorded it on his phone.

According to the release from WPPD, Meese is being held in the Howell County Jail and is facing additional charges in Howell County that have not yet been filed.

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