Posted: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 12:11 pm

A Cottage Grove man faces charges of rape and incest after he allegedly admitted to having sexual contact with a relative.

An affidavit of complaint cites James Morton, 49, of Powell Levee Road in Cottage Grove confessed during taped phone conversations to the victim, the victim’s friend and Morton’s wife that admitted to the inappropriate sexual contact.

Morton also asked for forgiveness form his family members for the alleged incidents.

One report states Morton allegedly had oral sex with a female relative at his home two weeks prior to the Christmas holiday.

A second report cites a similar incident between the two allegedly occurred earlier this month.

Morton was arrested April 15 and faces two charges of rape and two charges of incest.

He was released from the Weakley County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond.

In unrelated news, a 40-year-old Sharon man is being held without bond in Weakley County after he allegedly exposed himself to three pre-schoolers.

Daniel Scott Ridgeway was reportedly drunk at a house on Beech Grove Road in Sharon on Friday when he stepped onto the front porch of the home and urinated.

The victims’ mother said her three children were in the front yard of the home and saw Ridgeway relieving himself, according to an affidavit of complaint.

WCSD Deputy Bryan Chandler stated in his report that Ridgeway had a strong odor similar to that of alcohol emitting from his person during a conversation.

Ridgeway allegedly revealed to Chandler that he was at the home and did urinate “off of the front porch.”

Ridgeway is being held without bond at the Weakley County Detention Center.

He faces three charges of indecent exposure (with child) and public intoxication.

A routine traffic stop in Martin last week led to the discovery of more than a dozen “hallucinogenic mushrooms.”

An incident report issued by the Martin Police Department states Lt. Dean Brooks had stopped a vehicle on Highland Avenue for swerving early Tuesday morning.

The driver, 25-year-old Travis Davidson, told Brooks that he was having difficulty steering his vehicle because of a recent accident.

After a search of the vehicle, Brooks allegedly found a bag containing 14 dried mushrooms, hydrocodones, two types of drugs believed to be steroids, 3.5 grams of methamphetamines and 13 needles.

Officers also seized $395 in cash.

Davidson was charged with possession of Schedule I, II and III substances and unlawful drug paraphernalia.

He is free on a $5,000 bond.

WCP 4.21.09