Man faces life in prison
A local man has been charged with aggravated rape of a child. If convicted, the state requires a sentence of death or life in prison.
Lisa Hobbs|October 21, 2026|1 min read
LISA HOBBS – News Editor
A local man has been charged with aggravated rape of a child and aggravated sexual battery.
Samuel Elijah Allen, 22, was in General Session Court on Tuesday before Judge Ryan J. Moore. He was arrested on Oct. 19 and is being held on a $250,000 bond at Warren County Jail.
The warrant alleges that he, on or about July 13, 2026, used his hand to penetrate the private area of an underage female. During that same timeframe, a second warrant alleges that he touched the upper area of her private area.
While the victim’s age was not provided in the warrants, aggravated rape of a child is a violation of Tennessee Code Annotated 39-13-531. That statute states that the victim must be 8 years old or less.
Tennessee has one of the strictest punishments for adults convicted of aggravated rape of a child. The sentence must be either death or imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole. This is a mandatory penalty; there is no discretionary range under the statute for adult defendants.
Allen is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 17 before Judge Moore at 1 p.m. The Public Defender’s Office was appointed.
About the reporter
Lisa Hobbs
Public Relations Director, News Editor
Lisa Hobbs is an award-winning writer. She has 21 years of experience in newspaper journalism, including 17 years at a publication in Warren County. During that timeframe, she covered both city and county governments, education, wrecks, fires, crime, community events, and wrote a popular Sunday column named Just A Thought. “My desire at Warren County Way is to return ethical and dedicated news coverage to the community I served for almost two decades.”
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