Safari Joe in court on rape charges on Thursday
| Updated: 9/27/2012 10:32 am |
Published: 9/27/2012 10:31 am
|
The man known as “Safari Joe” will be in court on Thursday on charges or rape and molestation.
Joe Estes ran Safari Joe’s Animal Sanctuary in Adair before turning himself in on those charges in August. Estes is charged with rape, two counts of lewd molestation and lewd acts involving two girls under the age of 16 but older than 10. Court records show the alleged incidents took place from 2005 to 2007.
Prosecutors have not said how Estes knew the alleged victims, but say the charges do not involve anyone he met at the animal sanctuary or at schools where he showed the animals.
Defense attorneys say Estes is in the middle of a custody battle and believe the allegations could be retaliation, but the alleged victims are not directly involved in the custody battle.
Copyright 2012 Newport Television LLC All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
