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TOOELE — A Tooele man has been arrested and accused of raping a 13-year-old babysitter.
James Barrett Claypool, 40, of Tooele, was booked into the Tooele County Jail Wednesday for investigation of rape of a child, sex abuse of a child, child endangerment and drug possession.
The investigation began Tuesday when police were called to Mountain West Medical Center on a report of a possible child rape. The girl’s mother told detectives that her 13-year-old daughter was babysitting a young boy while Claypool was supposed to be asleep in an upstairs bedroom because he worked late, according to a police booking affidavit.
“(The girl) was sexually abused by Mr. Claypool in the living room of the residence and then raped by Mr. Claypool in an upstairs bedroom. The victim gave a description of the bedroom where she was raped. She also said Mr Claypool told her about him using methamphetamine and that she saw meth in the bedroom,” the affidavit states.
Police served a search warrant at Claypool’s residence and discovered the bedroom was just as the girl described it and said meth was found where the girl claimed she saw it.
Claypool said he told the girl about his meth use but denied touching her, according to the affidavit.
