Probable cause established in 2022 child sex abuse investigation
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A Cape Girardeau man has been sentenced to 75 years in prison in connection with sexual offenses involving minors, following a case that originated from a 2022 investigation.
According to court records, Brandon Demarcus Tipler, 44, of Cape Girardeau, was sentenced Dec. 23, 2025, to 75 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections by Frank E. Miller. A Cape Girardeau County jury found Tipler guilty on Nov. 18, 2025, of two counts of first-degree statutory rape and one count of first-degree statutory sodomy following a two-day trial.
The charges stemmed from a Feb. 19, 2022, investigation in which officers responded to a reported sexual assault involving juveniles at a residence. A probable cause statement indicated that minors disclosed multiple incidents of sexual abuse, leading to Tipler’s arrest and formal charges.
During the 2025 trial, the two victims, who were 11 and 12 years old at the time of the crimes, testified against Tipler. Jurors also viewed forensic interviews of the victims conducted at Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence.
The case was prosecuted by Cape Girardeau County Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Tabatha Blakely and Stephen Killen. The investigation was conducted by the Cape Girardeau Police Department.
Authorities noted that the earlier probable cause statement outlined the basis for arrest and charging decisions, while the jury verdict and sentencing followed the full presentation of evidence at trial.
