By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 19-year-old Helena man is now facing a total of four felony rape charges, and has been booked into the Shelby County Jail for the third time in two weeks.

The Alabaster Police Department arrested Sam Woods III, who lists an address on Old Cahaba Trace in Helena, on June 28 and charged him with two felony counts of second-degree rape.

Second-degree rape is a Class B felony, and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Woods’ most recent pair of rape charges came several days after the Alabaster Police Department and the Helena Police Department each brought second-degree rape charges against the suspect on June 17 and June 25, respectively.

In all four cases, Woods allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with a female victim who was between the age of 12 and 16 while Woods was “16 years or older and at least two years older” than the victim, according to his arrest warrants.

He has been accused of engaging in these acts on June 6, 2015, September 2015, April 17 and April 20.

Both police departments are continuing to investigate the suspect, and are encouraging anyone with information on him to contact law enforcement.

After Woods was arrested on June 17, he was released from the Shelby County Jail the following day after posting a $30,000 bond. He was rearrested on June 25, and was released from jail on June 28 after posting a $30,000 bond.

As of July 1, Woods remained in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $60,000 on his two most recent charges.

Woods is set to appear in Shelby County District Court on July 27 for a preliminary hearing in front of District Court Judge Daniel Crowson.