By Andy Matthews
The Yadkin Ripple
amatthews@yadkinripple.com

RALEIGH -- Raleigh police announced this morning that they have arrested two men who they say raped two runaway girls from Yadkin County.

Investigators charged Joshua Bryant, 30, and Stephen Holland Sr., 25. Both of the men face one count each of statutory rape and statutory sexual offense, police said.

The two men, who were scheduled to appear Friday in Wake County District Court, both have $1 million bonds.

Police say that the two men met the two girls, 12 and 15 years old, in a telephone chat line. The two girls were found Wednesday night in Raleigh. The two alleged victims said that Holland drove from Raleigh to Yadkin County, a two-hour drive or about 115 miles, and picked them up.

According to a search warrant, the sex was consensual and took place at the men's home. Holland also confessed to the crime.

Det. Robin Moxley of the Yadkin County Sheriff's Office, said Thursday afternoon that law enforcement officials began looking for the girls about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Moxley said that a Wake County deputy sheriff spotted the two girls late Wednesday night at a convenience store.

The girls, she said, are back home after their parents drove to Raleigh.

"That's how they became acquainted, through a chat line, not the Internet," Moxley said.

Raleigh police and the Wake County Sheriff's Office worked with investigators in the Yadkin County Sheriff's Office to trace the two girl's location through one of the girl's cell phones.