Shane Coats, the Petal man who recently was arrested and charged with one count of sexual battery of a minor under the age of 14, will be sent before a grand jury to determine whether there is adequate basis for a criminal charge and trial.
That condition was set forth by Petal Municipal Court Judge Michael Reed during Coats’ June 13 preliminary hearing at the courthouse. In addition, Reed mandated that Coats will wear a GPS-outfitted ankle bracelet if he manages to post his $100,000 bond – which, at 10 percent of that amount, would cost Coats $10,000 to be released.
Coats was taken into custody by officers of the Petal Police Department on the morning of May 17, and was transported to the Forrest County Correctional Facility that afternoon before being brought back to Petal the next morning for his first appearance, where Reed set the bond.
According to Mississippi Code 97-3-95, a person is guilty of sexual battery if he or she engages in sexual penetration with: another person without his or her consent; a mentally defective, mentally incapacitated or physically helpless person; a child at least 14 years of age, if the person is 36 or more months older than the child; or a child under the age of 14, if the person is 24 or more months older than the child.
If convicted of the charge, Coats would face 40 years to life in prison.
“Shane has a lot of mental problems; he is a menace to society at this point, and he is very dangerous because his mind is not right,” Coats’ mother, Hope, said after his initial appearance. “He needs medical help – he needs mental help.
“Shane’s a very loving, kind person, but he’s got a deranged way of thought. I don’t even know what to think right now, to be honest.”
In early May, a “Victims of Shane Coats” Facebook page was created, on which dozens of individuals have commented about Coats’ alleged crimes against men, women and children. Those allegations include child abuse, rape, theft and public masturbation.
“This page is to let victims of Shane Coats be able to tell their story freely and anonymously,” one of the page’s posts states. “Not only is it a place for them to speak up but we are also trying to get justice for everyone who was a victim as well.
“Justice will be served come hell or high waters (sic). He needs to be locked away not only for what he did to these men and women but also what he did to his daughter. He has victims all over and I’m sure there are a lot more.”
Based on that Facebook page, police are further investigating Coats’ alleged activities.
“We are aware of a ‘Victims of Shane Coats’ Facebook page, that has since came up in the last couple of days,” said Lieutenant Sammy Ray of the Petal Police Department. “Of course, we are obligated to look into those incidents and anybody that comes forward with any information regarding Shane Coats.”
Prior to Coats’ arrest, Investigator Jason Pharez from the Criminal Investigations Division of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department made public posts asking for victims of Coats to come forward with any information available.
“We are working with multiple agencies, along with Jackson County, on this,” Ray said.
