NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A 46-year-old man has been arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated statutory rape following an investigation by the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
Antwan Cowan, a convicted sex offender, was apprehended after officers conducting routine checks of vacant apartments discovered him in a bed with a 13-year-old girl.
The incident occurred in a vacant unit on South 8th Street, where Cowan was found with the teen. According to the MNPD, officers from a public housing task force were performing checks in the area when they made the discovery.
In a subsequent interview with detectives, Cowan reportedly admitted to engaging in sexual acts with the victim three times over the course of two weeks.
The teenager had been reported as a runaway on several occasions and had been picked up by authorities and returned home multiple times prior to the discovery, according to the MNPD press release.
The Department of Children’s Services is now involved in the case and will be following up on the girl’s status and safety. Cowan, who is listed on Tennessee’s sex offender registry, was convicted in 2010 for two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure.
He is currently being held on charges of aggravated statutory rape. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have emphasized the importance of addressing the safety and well-being of the victim in this case.