By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – Four second-degree rape charges pending against a 20-year-old Hoover man are on hold until a Shelby County grand jury reviews evidence in two other second-degree rape charges.

According to Shelby County Circuit Court documents, Sam Woods III, who lists an address on Snapwood Road in Hoover and previously listed an address in Helena, is set to appear in court for a hearing on Nov. 6 to allow for the grand jury to make a decision on his two most recent rape charges.

The Helena Police Department arrested Samuel Woods III, who lists an address on Old Cahaba Trace in Helena, on April 24 and charged him with two felony counts of second-degree rape.

The warrants listed offense dates of March 22 and April 6, during which Woods was out of jail on bond for four felony second-degree rape charges brought against him in 2016. He was indicted on the four original rape charges – Three of which were brought against him by the Alabaster Police Department and one of which was brought by the Helena Police Department – in December 2016.

In all six 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.

Woods has been in and out of the Shelby County jail several times over the past several months.

He was originally arrested on June 17, 2016, on a second-degree rape charge, and was released the following day after posting a $30,000 bond.

Woods was rearrested on another second-degree rape charge on June 25, 2016, and was released from jail on June 28, 2016, after posting a $30,000 bond. He was then arrested for a third time on June 28, 2016, and charged with two more second-degree rape charges.

He remained in jail from June 28, 2016, until his bonds were lowered through an agreement between his defense attorney and prosecutors and he posted bond on Sept. 21, 2016.

Because Woods’ two most recent rape charges came while he was out of jail on bond, Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Lara Alvis revoked his bond and ordered he be held in the Shelby County Jail without bond.

He has remained in the Shelby County Jail since his April 24 arrest.