Canton man wanted on felony charges in southeast Missouri arrested Wednesday in home

CANTON, Mo. — A Canton man was arrested Wednesday after local law enforcement agencies learned he was wanted on several felony charges in Stoddard County in Missouri.

A press release from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department said local law enforcement received information Wednesday that Peter Jay Rayhart, Jr., 47, of 1001 White in Canton, was wanted. After confirming Rayhart had an active warrant, members of law enforcement went to the area to attempt to locate him and take him into custody.

Aware he had a warrant, Rayhart spotted law enforcement and went inside the residence. After negotiations, Rayhart came out of the residence peacefully. He is incarcerated in the Lewis County Jail before he is transferred to Stoddard County. He is charged with nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images, a class D felony; tampering with a witness, a class D felony; and harassment, a class E felony.

The Canton Police Department, La Grange Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department worked together on Rayhart’s apprehension.