A 17-year-old is charged with statutory rape and sodomy after having a consensual sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl, said Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn Anderson.

Bulloch County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report Tuesday that the teenage girl had run away, he said. Investigations led to information that Spencer Ryan Southwell, 17, South Wynn Road, dropped the girl off at Po Jo’s convenience store on U.S. 80 East and Burkhalter Road.

After interviewing Southwell, Deputy Richard Beckum and sheriff’s investigators determined “a consensual sexual encounter had occurred between Southwell and the juvenile female,” Anderson said. “Based on the ages of the parties involved, Southwell was charged with statutory rape and sodomy.”

The juvenile girl was charged as well, he said. She faces charges or sodomy, fornication, unruly juvenile and runaway juvenile. Upon orders from the Department of Juvenile Justice, the girl was released to her guardians.

Southwell was taken to the Bulloch County Jail, where he later posted a $5,000 bond, he said.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Beckum at (912) 764-8888.

 Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.