Man arrested, charged with rape of a child in Decatur County

DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. —  The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office has arrested and charged a man with rape of a child.

A news release from the sheriff’s office says Joseph Clenney was arrested and charged after a referral was sent to the Department of Children Services, which lead to an investigation.

Clenney was charged with rape of a child, according to the release.

Decatur County Sheriff Keith Byrd recognized a recent spike in child abuse and child sex abuse cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

“We have always taken these cases seriously, but with the recent spike in the number of cases, we have taken additional steps to increase resources dedicated to these cases to include specialized training for our investigators so that these cases can be investigated swiftly and thoroughly,” Byrd said. “If you or someone you know may be a victim, please contact the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office or the Child Abuse Hotline.”

You can call the sheriff’s office at (731) 852-3703 or the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-(800) 422-4453.