Joplin man charged with eight felony sex crimes against children caused deaths of man, two children in 2008

A Joplin man charged with eight counts of statutory sodomy, two counts of statutory rape, two counts of sexual trafficking of a child and one count of enticement of a child served prison time after entering an Alford plea in Jasper County Circuit Court to involuntary manslaughter.

James Arthur Myers, 33, caused the death of a Carthage man and two children August 10, 2008, when he chased the man in his vehicle for approximately 45 minutes following an altercation at a convenience store.

Myers was sentenced to seven years in prison for causing the deaths of Earl Wayne McAfee, 19, Carthage, his four-month-old son Neil Wayne McAfee and three-year-old Jazmen Schlecter.

Three other people were injured including the mother of the two children.








Though Myers' vehicle did not come into contact with the McAfee vehicle, McAfee crashed and his Bronco rolled over several times.

Myers told authorities he was chasing McAfee to tell him he should not drive so carelessly with children in his car, according to the Joplin Globe coverage of his sentencing.

Myers said his two children had been seriously injured in an earlier accident in Joplin.

Under an Alford plea, the accused concedes there is enough evidence to convict if the case goes to trial, but he does not admit guilt.

In exchange for the plea to a single count of involuntary manslaughter, Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney Dean Dankelson dismissed three counts of manslaughter.

Jasper County Circuit Court records indicate Myers' alleged crimes involving children date back to May 1, 2007.