Roanoke Rapids man faces child rape charges

HALIFAX — A Roanoke Rapids man is in jail on $175,000 bond, facing a first-degree rape of a child and second-degree rape charge, according to the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.

In an unrelated case, the sheriff’s office continues to look for a Hollister area man with outstanding rape warrants in Halifax and Warren counties.

Lt. Bobby Martin said yesterday the sheriff’s office arrested Thomas Claiborne, 67, for first-degree rape of a child and second-degree rape.

This arrest stems from an investigation conducted by Detective Jonathan Merritt on an incident reported to the sheriff’s office Jan. 14. The complaint alleged Claiborne, who was a caregiver, was sexually assaulting a juvenile who was under the age of 13 at the time.

Martin said Merritt discovered the assault allegedly occurred at Claiborne’s home in Roanoke Rapids.

Claiborne has an April 8 court date.

Meanwhile the sheriff’s office continues to look for Robert Cordera Lynch who has outstanding first-degree rape charges against him.

Lynch faces charges from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office for a rape that allegedly occurred Sunday night and one from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office that occurred on an unknown date involving the same 12-year-old victim.

The Halifax rape investigation began as a missing persons report when the victim’s mother told Deputy R.P. Bozard her daughter was missing from their Williams Road residence in Hollister.

As Bozard began filling out a missing persons report and checking locations, the girl’s mother called him and said her child returned and was sexually assaulted.

Martin said Bozard saw tell-tale signs the child was sexually assaulted.

Further investigation by Detective Roy Rooks led him to discover Lynch, of Warren County near Hollister, allegedly sexually assaulted the child and has outstanding warrants for his arrest on similar charges in Warren County.

Martin said Lynch is acquainted with the child’s family.

Lynch stands 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. He has brown hair, green eyes, a medium build and a medium complexion.

Martin said Lynch frequents Halifax, Warren and Vance counties. He has been entered into criminal databases and is now Halifax County Crimestoppers most wanted fugitive.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to call Halifax County Crimestoppers at 583-4444.