BENTONVILLE — A Missouri man is fit to stand trial for the rape of a 75-year-old Benton County woman.
Brian Tyler Jordan, 41, is charged with witness bribery and intimidating a witness, both Class C felonies; and rape, a Class Y felony.
He is charged as a habitual offender. If convicted, Jordan could be sentenced from three to 30 years on each of the Class C felonies and 10 years to life imprisonment for the rape.
Jordan is accused of raping the woman in her home.
A mental evaluation found Jordan fit to stand trial. Circuit Judge David Clinger set Jordan’s jury trial to begin Feb. 15.
The woman reported an old neighbor, who she only knew as Brian, was visiting her home, according to court documents. She said he raped her after she let him into her house Feb. 27, according to the affidavit. The attacker assaulted her and threatened to kill her before raping her, according to court documents.
The woman was taken to a hospital where a sample of her attacker’s DNA was retrieved and sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory.
The woman was able to identify Jordan through online photographs of registered sex offenders, according to court documents.
Jeremy Felton, an investigator with the Benton County Sheriff ’s Office, went to Missouri to interview Jordan, according to court documents. Jordan admitted to knowing the woman. He told Felton he was at his brother’s home in Pea Ridge when the woman was raped, according to the affidavit.
Jordan denied raping the woman, but provided a DNA sample, according to court documents.
Felton received a report in May from the crime lab showing Jordan’s DNA was consistent with the DNA sample retrieved from the victim, according to court documents. That report led to Jordan’s arrest.
Jordan is charged with witness bribery because he is accused of offering a benefit to a friend in an attempt to get the friend to lie to investigators.
A pre-trial hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. Feb. 14.