An Owensville man, Donald W. Littrell, Jr., 64, charged Friday with two felony counts alleging first-degree sexual abuse of a minor following a sheriff’s department investigation of incidents from 1987 to 1994, was arraigned Tuesday morning via telephone.

Littrell remains in custody at the Osage County jail in Linn. A $50,000 cash-only bond was ordered with the felony warrant. Littrell is scheduled to appear in Gasconade County Associate Circuit Court at 8:45 a.m. Monday, April 22, for a bond review hearing. He did not have an attorney of record listed as of Tuesday afternoon.

Gasconade County Sheriff’s Det. Lyde Mantels is continuing the investigation, which began on Nov. 27, 2023, when lawmen were notified of allegations of statutory rape and statutory sodomy involving three juvenile victims from the same family.

In interviews with Mantels, all three siblings related experiences of sexual abuse allegedly committed by Littrell against them while he was living with them and their mother in the Owensville area. Victim ages ranged from 7-years-old to 12 during this seven-year period. One sibling had kept a diary of the molestation and sexual abuse, according to the probable cause statement filed as the application for the felony warrant.

Littrell was arrested April 11 pending a warrant being issued with formal charges. He remains jailed in the Osage County Detention Facility.

Charges are based on allegations of sexual abuse committed against two of the three victims. Charging documents show the crimes are alleged to have taken place between January and December of 1989. Both charges are listed as class D felonies involving children under the age of 12.

During an April 11 interview, Littrell reportedly denied the allegations but acknowledged he was told by Children’s Division personnel to leave the residence in the early 1990s due to the contents of the victim’s diary. He told investigators he sought counseling and was never charged criminally.

He has prior convictions from December 2003 for illegal drug possession.

According to Sheriff Scott Eiler, there is a concern that Littrell may have abused other victims in the past. If you have been a victim, or can provide any information on additional victims, you are asked to call and leave a message for Mantels at the sheriff’s office at 573-437-7770.