NEWS ALERT - Blountstown Man Accused of Rape

A Blountstown man is behind bars accused of raping a young woman.
Cardonial Belafonte Thomas, Jr., 26, was taken into custody Thursday and charged with sexual battery.
According to an affidavit filed by the Blountstown Police Department, an 18-year-old female contacted law enforcement Tuesday to report the alleged incident. The young woman told Lt. Timothy Partridge that she was at Sutton Creek Apartments on Monday hanging out with Thomas at an apartment as she has on many occasions due to a family connection. She said she fell asleep while watching television and awoke to find Thomas on top of her engaging in intercourse. She reported she told Thomas to stop, but he wouldn’t. She said she eventually pushed him off her and phoned her boyfriend, then asked Thomas to take her home while she kept her boyfriend on the line. When she arrived home, the young woman said she went into her bedroom, locked herself in a closet and cried.
The alleged victim said she sent Thomas a text message telling him she was going to tell her mother what happened. Thomas reportedly went back to the girl’s house, took her mother to the store and told her the girl was upset because she had gotten into an argument with her boyfriend. Thomas then allegedly went to the girl’s closet door repeatedly asking her not to say anything to her mom and also sent text messages to her phone. The girl eventually came out of her bedroom and found Thomas standing at the front door with her mother. She then told her mom what had happened. The girl’s mom told Thomas to leave her home as he denied the girl’s accusations.
Lt. Partridge retrieved the text messages sent to the girl that stated, “...if you tell I swear I will kill myself. I can’t live with that shame...please forgive me...I’m going back to Tallahassee tomorrow please, please...I will go back to prison...I will lose by kids...I am sorry. Don’t tell your mom please.”
Possible DNA evidence was collected at the apartment where the alleged incident occurred.
Thomas came to the police department later that day, was read his rights and requested an attorney.
He is being held without bond at the Calhoun County Jail.