Salisbury man charged with statutory rape of 12-year-old girl

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Correction: An earlier version of this story listed the wrong charge against Brandon Lee Shumake because of incorrect information posted on the Rowan County Jail website early Wednesday. The Post apologizes for the confusion.

By Shavonne Potts

spotts@salisburypost.com
Two men are in jail after authorities say one of them raped a young girl and the other sent her sexually explicit pictures of himself.
Brandon Lee Shumake, 18, of the 100 block of Leisure Lane, was charged Tuesday evening with two counts of statutory rape following an investigation by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation started after other students at the 12-year-old victim’s school told a teacher about seeing the explicit photos on her phone.
When law enforcement got involved, the girl told investigators she had sex with Shumake twice at a relative’s home. She met him through a friend he formerly dated, authorities said.
Shumake remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $150,000 secured bond.
Detectives say the photos are of Robert Lynn Nichols, 25, of the 700 block of Playground Lane. He was charged Tuesday with felony disseminating obscene material to a minor under the age of 13.
Investigators say Nichols and the victim had been contacting each other through Facebook, and at some point the two exchanged pictures.
Nichols was already in the jail for failure to appear, probation violation, resist, obstruct delay an officer. His total bond is $14,500.