Pine Prairie man charged with carnal knowledge of juvenile, sexual battery

By: ELIZABETH WEST
Staff Reporter

Pine Prairie resident Adrian Joseph Merrell, better known as A.J., was arrested and booked in the Ville Platte City Jail on Thursday, June 25, 2015. Merrell, 23, has been charged with felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and sexual battery. The 23-year-old is being accused of having had sexual intercourse with a now pregnant 15-year-old Pine Prairie resident as well as sexual battery committed against another Pine Prairie girl.
The Pine Prairie Police Department’s press release revealed that “investigating officers went to an address in Pine Prairie in reference to an alleged sexual battery that had taken place several times over a three year period.” It was through this investigation that law enforcement learned that Merrell had been living with a 15-year-old girl and her father.
Merrell agreed to take a voice stress analysis test where he would be questioned about the allegations that had been made against him concerning the second Pine Prairie girl. Merrell failed the VSA, giving law enforcement probable cause to arrest and charge him with sexual battery.
Jamey Blood, father of the 15-year-old victim, has also been booked in the city jail along with Merrell. Blood has been charged with principal to felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile.