Ellis Rayls, 40, of Nixa, has been formally indicted by a grand jury on 18 felony counts involving the sexual abuse of children. The indictment was served while Rayls was already incarcerated in the Missouri Department of Corrections for a prior conviction related to child endangerment.
The charges span a range of serious offenses, including:
- Multiple counts of Child Molestation in the First Degree
- Statutory Sodomy and Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy in the First Degree – Aggravated Sexual Offense
- Statutory Rape or Attempted Statutory Rape – First Degree involving a victim under 14
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the First Degree as a parent or guardian
- Sexual Misconduct Involving a Child Under 15
Rayls was previously sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a conviction that led to his current incarceration. The new indictment significantly expands the scope of the allegations against him.
Bond has been set at $250,000 cash only.
The investigation was led by Douglas County Detective Nathan Long, with support from the Children’s Division and the Child Advocacy Center, whose collaborative efforts were instrumental in bringing the case before the grand jury.
Rayls is expected to be arraigned on the new charges in the coming weeks.
