Registered sex offender faces more charges

Charged with rape of 13-year-old, now charged with rape of her 14-year-old friend

A registered sex offender who was charged with second-degree rape of a 13-year-old girl last Thursday is now also accused of having sex with a 14-year-old friend of the first victim.

Anne Arundel County police said they have issued a warrant for James Mason III, 28, of the 100 block of Simms Drive in Annapolis, accusing him of second-degree rape and other counts related to the 14-year-old. Mason has been jailed since last week in lieu of $500,000 bail to await trial on charges that he raped the 13-year-old.

Police said Mason met one of the girls on the MySpace website and stayed in contact with her. He agreed to pick up her and three of her friends from Dundalk, police said. He bought them alcohol and suspected marijuana, police said.

Electronic court records show that Mason has a history of sexual assault convictions, beginning in July 1999, when he was sentenced to three years in prison for a fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault. In June 2004, Mason was sentenced to five years in prison for second-degree sexual assault, according to the records.

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