ROCKINGHAM — A man who was arrested last week in a Cordova break-in has been locked up again, this time on a rape charge.
According to an arrest warrant, 23-year old Michael Jon Shepherd Jr. is accused of raping a woman “by force and against her will” on May 15.
Shepherd, of Ledbetter Street in Cordova, was arrested by Rockingham police Monday and charged with a felony count of first-degree rape. He was booked into the Richmond County Jail under a $100,000 secured bond.
Last week, deputies charged Shepherd with one felony count each of breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering after they say he stole $818 from the Cordova Express Mart.
In that case, he was arrested June 17 and booked into the jail at 5:09 p.m. under a $5,000 secured bond. He was bailed out at 6:43 p.m with a surety appearance bond.
Shepherd is due in court on those charges July 2. His court date for the rape charge is July 16.
Online court records show he is also supposed to appear in court July 17 on a misdemeanor charge of communicating threats.
Shepherd has no prior convictions in the state, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction.
— William R. Toler