71-year-old Louisiana man charged with 100 counts of rape

A Louisiana man was charged with 100 counts of rape for multiple sexual assaults that included children under the age of 13, according to police.

Harvey Fountain, 71, was arrested and charged last week in connection with a string of rapes that allegedly date back to the early 1970s, police said.

Authorities have not disclosed the suspected number of victims, but they said the alleged assaults occurred in and around his hometown of Pineville, Louisiana, located just outside of Alexandria.

Officers with the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office said investigators were made aware of the accusations on April 1, when it received a complaint about sexual misconduct involving children, according to a statement.

"Fountain perpetrated the sexually based crimes upon juveniles while at various locations that he resided in the Pineville area," the statement said. "The crimes allegedly began in the early 1970s and continued through the early 1980s."

Fountain was charged with 50 counts of first-degree rape on April 9 and 50 additional counts on April 12. The sheriff's office said it added the second round of charges after identifying additional victims.

"Through their investigation, detectives were able to gather evidence that supported the original allegations which lead to sufficient probable cause being established," the office said. "As Fountain remained in jail, detectives continued their investigation and additional victims were identified."

Fountain was being held on a $1 million bond as of late Tuesday. It's unclear if he has retained an attorney.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and urged anyone with information about other possible victims to come forward.