According to court records, 35-year-old Craig Knox faces charges of child rape and sex acts with children in that state. 8News Anchor Kristin Smith spoke with him Wednesday inside the Henrico County Jail.
When asked if he believed he should be in jail, Knox said he was not sure.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t think so.”
He said he moved to Virginia in an effort to escape his previous issues.
“I moved away from Pennsylvania to get away from all the negativity, to get my life back to normal and be a productive citizen,” Knox said. “I thought I did that moving out here.”
Despite his efforts, Knox woke up Tuesday morning to police raiding his home in the 2900 block of Kenwood Avenue.
Police showed up to deliver the warrant for his arrest and also investigated his roommate, Stephen Matthew Taylor.
Taylor, age 27, was charged eight days later, for animal cruelty and bestiality.
Numerous digital devices and eight Rottweiler dogs were seized, according to the warrant. Multiple images of bestiality with Rottweiler dogs were discovered on the devices.
Taylor admitted to an officer that he performed oral sex on one of the dogs.
Knox, also admitted to police that Taylor knew he was having sexual contact with the dogs, according to the warrant. Knox told police that he “they talked about having sexual contact with the dogs.”
A dog on the property was examined by a veterinarian and found to have an infection in its penis, anal glands and rectum.
According to police records, the crimes he was arrested for happened several years ago in Pennsylvania with boys as young as nine. Investigators say at least one child picked Knox out of a photo lineup.
Once arrested, court records show Knox told police he has struggled with a sexual attraction to young boys, but also dogs for years.
8News asked Knox if he has ever acted on those feelings.
“In the past, I have,” Knox replied. “But that’s another reason I moved out here — to get away from all that negativity that surrounded me out there.”
When asked whether he had had sexual relations with dogs, Knox cut the interview short.
He did say it was destroying him that police took his two Rottweilers. 8News has learned that Henrico detectives are investigating possible charges of animal cruelty and child pornography for Knox (Note: Taylor has already been charged with animal cruelty)
Knox is set to be extradited to Pennsylvania to be arraigned on his charges there. We will continue to follow what happens to him in Henrico.
(WRIC - Dec 2, 2016)
