A Kannapolis man is facing felony charges after authorities charged him with the statutory rape of a 15-year-old girl. The man told authorities he didn’t know she was underage and the two had sexual relations in October.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Harley James Martin, 20, of McClain Road, on Thursday. He has since been released from the county jail.
The victim’s younger sister told her mother and the mother reported the incident to authorities. The victim spoke to detectives and admitted the encounter with James. She told a detective she met James at a summer party and the two continued communication via Facebook. James reportedly went to the girl’s home on occasions when her parents were gone. James told the detective he believed the girl was older than 15.