Teen Avoids Adult Rape Charge as Settlement Reached in Court

A teen, whose name has not been released due to his age, will face between 30-40 weeks in the Benton County Juvenile Justice Center and be required to register as a sex offender as part of a plea deal made with prosecutors and the victim's family.

In December of 2017, the teen was accused of luring a child into a bedroom at his home where his mother ran a daycare, and sexually assaulting the little girl. Her age was not released. However, as part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped his adult rape charge instead, and the teen agreed to plea guilty as a juvenile. The case garnered extensive headlines when it happened.

The parents of the victim agreed to the deal, due in large part because they wanted to avoid further trauma and publicity that would have occurred if their child had to testify in court. The boy will face his time in the juvenile facility, and besides registering as a sex offender, will serve three years probation. KEPR TV says the daycare is no longer in operation. For more information on this case, click on the button below.