A rural Sallisaw man is expected to appear today in Sequoyah County District Court, where he faces 12 counts of first-degree rape.

The charges stem from the allegations of an 11-year-old girl, who told authorities Billy Gene Loftis, 56, forced her to have sexual intercourse then used threats to secure her silence.

Loftis, who is serving an eight-year suspended sentence for a LeFlore County conviction on a charge of lewd molestation, denies the girl’s allegations. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Loftis told investigators “he had a condition that left him ‘dead from the feet up,’” making it impossible for him to engage in sex.

Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Deputy Cindy Smith began investigating the rape case April 5, when the 11-year-old girl came forward with allegations that date back to August 2005. According to court documents, Loftis allegedly would corner the girl when they were alone and force her to have sexual intercourse.

The affidavit filed by Smith details a month-by-month summary of sexual encounters the girl claims to have had with Loftis. Each encounter described by the girl allegedly would begin with Loftis ordering the girl to go to his room and disrobe.

Each encounter would end with Loftis allegedly having sex with the girl and threatening the safety of her family to ensure her silence.

The alleged encounters, authorities said, continued until sometime in May 2006.

During an interview with investigators, Loftis denied knowing anything about the girl’s allegations against him until later, when he learned of the allegations from one of the girl’s relatives.

Loftis is being held on $120,000 bond in the Sequoyah County Jail.

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