December 9th, 2025 Local News
St. Francois Co., Mo. (KFMO) - On Friday, December 5, 2025, after a two day trial, a St. Francois County Jury found 66-year-old Richard Warren Guilty of five counts of Statutory Sodomy in the First Degree and two counts of Sexual Misconduct Involving a Child.
Warren faced charges following a 2021 disclosure by two of his female step grandchildren; one under the age of 12 and the other under the age of 14. At trial, the legal Guardian of the children, their maternal grandmother, testified that the children came under her care through a 2012 guardianship due to their mother’s drug abuse.
After their mother’s apparent recovery, the children were allowed to visit at the home of the mother; a home occupied by her father-in-law, Warren. Both girls testified that over a period of two years, their mother relapsed, spending less time with them during their visits, and more time at her drug dealer’s house. Her absence gave Warren the opportunity to sexually assault the girls.
At the time, neither child knew that the other was also being assaulted. In 2021, their mother moved from Warren’s house. A month and a half later, one girl disclosed the sexual abuse to their guardian. When asked, the other child then revealed that she too had been sexually abused. In addition to the testimony, the State submitted evidence of Warren’s 2001 conviction for Endangering the Welfare of a Child under 17 years old by offensive contact. Prosecuting Attorney, Blake Dudley, presented the State’s case. Circuit Judge Wendy Horn presided over the trial.
Formal sentencing by the court is scheduled for February 4, 2026. Warren faces sentences of between 5 years and Life imprisonment for each of the four counts of Statutory Sodomy in the First degree as to the child under 14 years; between 10 years and Life imprisonment as to the child under 12 years; and up to four years in prison for each count of Sexual Misconduct.
