Tammy Curtis, Publisher
Editor’s Note: In a story we first brought you in our print edition on Oct. 23, the suspect, James Meese, was transported to Fulton County and is being held in the Fulton County Detention Center in lieu of a $300,000 bond. Meese appeared before Circuit Judge Tim Weaver on Nov.18 and was assigned public defender S. Briese after filing out an affidavit of indigency. Meese waived a formal arriangment and plead not guilty. He was given an April 7, 2025 pretrial date and a April 23-25, 2025 trial date in Fulton County. Below is the original story as it ran from the Probable Cause Affidavit, adding only his Nov. 14 transport to Fulton County.
From police and court records
A West Plains, Mo. man with a history of sexual misconduct and other crimes was arrested following a four-hour standoff in an attempt to arrest him on a Fulton County warrant on Sept.19.
West Plains, Mo. Police attempted to serve three felony warrants for rape, sexual assault, and terroristic threatening on James Michael Meese, 38. Upon arrival at the residence, police observed an open door and a male matching Meese’s description inside. After being instructed to surrender and leave the home, he refused.
Less-than-lethal munitions were first deployed into the residence after his refusal. After four hours of failing to comply with the demands of law enforcement, officers entered the home and found Meese hiding in a closet.
He was arrested and transported to the Howell County Jail on the charges.
Meese was transported to the Fulton County Jail on Nov. 19.
Meese was already on probation for a sexual crime at the time of the Fulton County charges.
The Fulton County charges were filed on Sept. 19. Charging documents from the Sixteenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Dwayne Plumlee’s office state that Fulton County Chief Deputy William Fawcett Meese began having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old female in April of 2024.
The victim told police she met him two years ago when she and another female friend wanted to smoke marijuana. The victim’s friend contacted Meese, and the two juveniles sneaked out of the house and met him at Viola/Meese met the juveniles and shared his marijuana pen with them before taking them home.
The victim then befriended Meese on Snapchat. In May, they began a sexual relationship. The victim also told officers Meese provided her with a vape. According to the victim, they met three to five times between May and his arrest.
After sex acts the victim said she felt very ashamed and even told Meese she considered going to the police about the acts, because she knew they weren’t right.
On Sept. 15, after meeting Meese to end things and obtain a vape or pod, he initiated sex and the victim repeatedly refused. Meese allegedly raped her and recorded the act on his cell phone.
The charging document states the victim told the investigator when Meese was confronted with the possibility of being arrested and charged criminally for the acts, he told the her if she tried to ruin he and his daughter’s lives, he would kill her or have her killed.
Meese is currently being held in the Howell County Jail. He was also charged with felonies in the stand-off incident in Howell County with being a fugitive from another state and resisting or interfering with a felony arrest.
Meese’s Howell County bonds have been set at $50,000 for the out of state fugitive charge and a $5,000 for the resisting arrest charge.
In Fulton County, Circuit Judge Tim Weaver set Meese’s bond at $300,000 for the charges of Rape, a Class Y felony,which carries a potential life sentence; and Fourth Degree Sexual Assault and Terroristic Threatening. Both are Class D felonies, which carry up to six year prison terms and or an up to $10,000 fine.
Should Meese become able to post bond in Howell County, Mo. Fulton County Sheriff’s Department has a detainer on him and will transport him. . The case was originally set for review by the court on Dec.16, 2024.