Two men accused of sex with minors

In search warrant affidavits, investigators said the two girls, ages 12 and 15, ran away from their homes in Yadkin County to meet the men.

Posted 3:41 p.m. Jul 31, 2008 — Updated 9:29 p.m. Jul 31, 2008

RALEIGH, N.C. — Raleigh police have arrested two men accused of having sex with two teenagers they met through a telephone chat line.

Joshua Vincent Bryant, 30, and Stephen Barnabas Holland Sr., 25, of 7001 Brecken Ridge Ave. in Raleigh, were arrested early Thursday and each face charged with one count of statutory rape and one count of statutory sex offense.

In search warrant affidavits, investigators said the two girls, ages 12 and 15, ran away from their homes in Yadkin County to meet the men. Holland – who, according to the warrant, confessed to the crime – drove more than 100 miles to Yadkin County to bring the girls to Raleigh.

According to the warrant, the sex was consensual.

"There is no such thing as consensual sex if the victim is too young, legally, to give consent," Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue said.

Police found the girls, one of whom had been reported as a runaway, Wednesday night at a Fast Fare convenience store in the 7100 block of Six Forks Road.

Bryant and Holland, who are expected to make their first court appearance Friday, were each in jail Thursday afternoon under a $1 million bond.

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