22-year-old facing pair of felonies for alleged relationship with teen

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

A Seligman man is charged with two felonies after allegedly having a sexual relationship with a teenager in 2025.

Francisco Marquez, 22, of Seligman, is charged with second-degree statutory rape and second-degree statutory sodomy.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Det. Billy Forester, with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, on Feb. 4, Forester took a report from the Missouri Department of Public Service’s Children’s division for an alleged sexual assault against a juvenile under the age of 16.

On Feb. 11, during a forensic interview, the victim disclosed that Marquez had made contact via SnapChat, and the two attended the same church. The victim said they communicated with Marquez for a brief period after he added them on the app, and Marquez began sending sexually explicit images of himself. The victim said Marquez eventually proposed that he would drive to the victim’s house and pick the victim up after their parents went to bed.

The victim said on an unknown date in June 2025, they met Marquez down the road from the house between midnight and 1 a.m. The victim said after a brief conversation in Marquez’s car, he allegedly asked the victim to move to the back seat and perform oral sex, and the victim agreed. The victim said this occurred 10-15 times between the first occurrence in June 2025 and when the victim ended the sexual relationship in July 2025.

Additionally, the victim disclosed during the same period, Marquez and the victim allegedly engaged in intercourse three or four times, saying Marquez did not ejaculate in her because he had a pregnant fiancee the time.

The victim said they have known Marquez for a long time through attending the same church, and Marquez knew the victim’s age because he has a younger sister the same age.

Since Feb. 13, Forester had attempted to contact Marquez multiple times to schedule an interview, without success. As of March 4, Marquez had not returned any requests for a phone call.

Marquez was arrested on June 24 and booked into the Barry County jail on no bond. A bond appearance hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m. in the courtroom of Judge Robert Foulke.