A 50-year-old Boonville man has been charged with a felony in relation to a runaway.

According to a probable-cause statement, on March 2, Boonville Police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of Roberts Street regarding a runaway juvenile.

Authorities discovered through text messages received that John Gene Torres was waiting to pick up the juvenile. Authorities allege Torres took the juvenile, without permission, out of the state of Missouri for payment. Torres also refused to take the juvenile to the nearest law-enforcement agency after being made aware of the juvenile’s runaway status.

Torres has been charged with a Class E Felony for Child Abduction. Bond has been set at $20,000 cash or surety.

Torres plead not guilty back in March. A Counsel Status Hearing in this case is scheduled to be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15 at Cooper County Circuit Court.