ELIZABETHTOWN — A Sampson County man has been arrested and charged with one count of first-degree statutatory rape of an 8-year-old Bladen County girl, believed to be his granddaughter.

Harold Lee Strickland Sr., 64, of 1594 Hunter Road in Clinton, was arrested by the Sampson County Sheriff’s Department and turned over to Bladen County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday.

“First-degree statutory rape is the rape of a child under the age of 13,” said Prentis Benston, chief deputy of the Bladen County Sheriff’s Department. “Strickland is in the Bladen County Jail under a $251,000 bond.”

According to the family of the child, the incident was reported to them by the child on June 20. They took her the Department of Social Services the next day and an appointment was made with a specialist for examination.

That examination took place on July 22 and evidence of sexual contact was verified. A report was forwarded to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office that day.

Officials with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that Bladen County deputies, as a courtesy, requested a deputy from the county to go to the residence with them as they served the warrant on Strickland, which they did.