Siepel charged with multiple counts of sodomy

A Springfield man is accused of committing multiple sex crimes while babysitting two brothers under the age of 17 in Republic, according to charges filed against him on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Michael George Siepel, 41, is accused of perform- ing sexual acts on the boys, multiple times between 2006 and 2011. He is fac- ing a dozen felony charges: 10 counts of first-degree sodomy and two counts of second-degree sodomy. First-degree sodomy has the potential for a life sentence in Missouri.
Siepel was first reported in 2014, when the older boy came to the Republic Police Department to report the alleged abuse. According to the probable cause statement field then, the boy reported the abuse first started when Siepel was babysitting for his parents at their home in Republic.
He said the abuse continued over four years, both at his house and on a trip to Washington D.C. which
Siepel took him on. The boy said that Siepel also asked the boy multiple times to perform sexual acts on him, but he refused.
The boy said he decided to tell his parents about the abuse because he was afraid Siepel would get access to his younger brothers.
Another probable cause statement filed in the case detailed the account of the second boy Siepel is accused of abusing; he is a younger sibling of the first victim.
The boy came forward last April. He said the abuse happened once at Siepel's house; the remaining times were at his house when other family members were asleep, or when they were alone at the house together. The second boy also reported that Siepel tried to get him to perform sexual acts on him (Siepel), and at one  point, even offered him money to do so, but he refused.
According to the first probable cause statement, Siepel was interviewed in 2014 about the alleged abuse of the first boy. HE said he did babysit the boy at his house and the boy's house multiple times, and also said he took the boy on a trip to Washington D.C. and other places like Branson and a Springfield Cardinals game, but denied ever sexually abusing the boy or ever  asking the boy to perform sexual acts on him.
Dan Patterson, Greene County    prosecuting    attorney, gave this statement in reply to a media inquiry.
“With regard to the charges in the Siepel case, as in all cases the charges filed are merely allega- tions and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said. “The 2014 referral was on hold pending further investigation and was able to be filed with the new report.”
Patterson declined to comment further, citing the Missouri Supreme Court Rules of Professional Conduct.
According to online records, a warrant for Siepel’s arrest was signed on Thursday, Jan. 16.
Afterheisarrested,Siepel can only be released on a $40,000 open-court bond, and he will be subjected to house arrest and 24-hour GPS monitoring. He will only be allowed to leave his house for medical appointments, work, meetings with his attorney and to go to the nearest grocery store to his home.
As of press time, Siepel was not in custody.