Two men charged in sex abuse cases with youngsters

KANNAPOLIS — Police have charged a Rowan County man with the first-degree rape of a 5-year-old girl.

It’s one of three sexual-offense cases in which Kannapolis Police have filed charges in recent days.

Jose Antonio Encarnacion, 41, of 903 Oval Ave., is charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual offense and indecent liberties with a minor. He remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under $750,000 bond.

The charges stem from an Aug. 11 incident, Kannapolis Detective David Miller said. The girl told her mother about it a week later, and an examination at NorthEast Medical Center determined that “some type of sexual activity had occurred,” Miller said.

Police continue an investigation to determine if there are more victims, Miller said.

Authorities charged Encarnacion in 1998 in Rowan County with indecent liberties with a minor, but he was not convicted, Miller said.

On Tuesday, police arrested Kenneth Wayne Goforth, 62, of 1461 Rodgers Lake Road. He is charged with 12 counts each of first-degree statutory rape, first-degree statutory sexual offense and indecent liberties with a child.

He is being held under $500,000 bond in the Cabarrus County Jail.

The charges involve a 6-year-old girl. Police believe the offenses occurred over a period of three years between May 1998 and June of this year, Kannapolis Police Detective Chris Nesbitt said.

Nesbitt said evidence shows the offenses occurred more than once, and the girl told interviewers as much. But she could not remember how many times or specific dates, so the Cabarrus County District Attorney charged Goforth with a count for each season over three years.

Police are also holding their investigation of Goforth open to determine if there are other victims.

In another Tuesday arrest, authorities charged Johnny Chavis, 20, of 118 Buffalo St. with second-degree rape and second-degree sexual offense.

The charges involve a 16-year-old girl who reported to police that she went to Chavis’ house in June and he raped her there. The charge is second-degree rape because force, but no weapon, was used in the crime, police said.

Chavis remained in Cabarrus County Jail this morning under $10,000 bond.

Contact Scott Jenkins at 704-797-4248 or sjenkins@salisburypost.com .