Hannibal man sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to rape, sodomy

NEW LONDON, Mo. — A former Hannibal man charged with 12 felonies for rape, sodomy and incest was sentenced to 40 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections last week.

Terence L. Higgins, 46, pled guilty on May 28 in Ralls County Circuit Court before Judge Rachel Bringer Shepherd. He was facing five counts of incest, four counts of statutory sodomy in the second degree, one count of fourth-degree child molestation, one count of statutory rape in the second degree and one count of abuse of a child. 

Higgins was facing up to 156 years in prison, but Shepherd sentenced him on Tuesday to 40 years — 10 years for one count of statutory rape, which will be served consecutively with one count of abuse of a child and one count of statutory sodomy of a person under 14 years old, for which Higgins received 30 years.

Higgins must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. He is ineligible for parole for 29 years. The sentences in the other felonies are to be served concurrently with the 40-year sentence.

A probable cause statement, written by Lt. Josh Baker with the Ralls County Sheriff’s Department and filed in Ralls County Circuit Court, stated that a forensic interview was conducted at the Child’s Center in Hannibal, Mo. During the interview, the victim described the crimes committed by Higgins between 2018 and 2020.

Higgins’ past criminal history was extensive, including numerous traffic offenses, possession of a non-narcotic schedule III-controlled substance, unlawful sexual contact in the second degree, fourth-degree sexual intercourse with a victim younger than age 16, stalking, tampering with a witness, violation of probation, harassment, criminal contempt of a domestic violence protection order and endangering the welfare of a child.

Baker also noted Higgins had moved to New Mexico to avoid prosecution.

Higgins was arrested Sept. 23, 2022, in Socorro, N.M., and eventually extradited to Audrain County, where he was housed in the Audrain County Jail. He entered a not-guilty plea during his arraignment on Oct. 24, 2022.

Assistant Attorney General Corie Geary led the prosecution team. Public Defenders Christopher Terrell and Todd Schulze from Hannibal were Higgins’ attorneys.