BENTONVILLE — One of Benton County’s most wanted fugitives was arrested Tuesday in Montana.
Steven Carl Williams, 52, of Bentonville was arrested in Troy, a town of less than 1,000 people in Montana’s northwest corner, the Western News in Libby, Mont., reported.
Troy Police Chief Robert McLeod said he arrested Williams without incident after receiving a phone call from Arkansas authorities, the Western News reported.
The List
Benton County’s Most Wanted
Other members of Benton County’s Most Wanted:
• Sidney Collins, 55, of Pea Ridge. Information on why Collins is wanted is not listed on the sheriff’s office website.
• Ricky Keith Marshall, 54, of Rogers. Marshall is also known as Donald Hale. He is wanted for 43 counts of forgery in Benton County.
• Jason Edward Qualls, 30, of Siloam Springs. Qualls is wanted for two counts of burglary and possession of stolen property.
• Santiago “Chago” Avelar, 19 or 20. Avelar is wanted by the Little Flock Police Department for attempted murder.
• Brian Jack Poe, 50, of Gravette. Poe is wanted for failure to notify local law enforcement after he moved. Poe is a registered sex offender.
• Erick Ambriz, age unknown, of Springdale. Ambriz is wanted for supplying methamphetamine.
Source: Benton County Sheriff’s Office
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Web Watch
Benton County’s Most Wanted can be found online at www.bentoncountysheriff.org/mostwanted.aspx.
“I think this is great,” said Detective J.C. Wiseman with the Bentonville Police Department. “I am glad he is going to face the charges.”
Williams was arrested by Bentonville police in 2009 in connection with sexually assaulting three girls. The girls were 12, 13 and 14 at the time of the assaults. Williams was their talent coach, according to court documents.
One girl claimed Williams told her and others he worked with several famous actresses before they became stars, according to court documents.
Three warrants were issued for Williams’ arrest following his failure to appear in court on the charges. Those warrants were issued June 30, July 28 and Aug. 4, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
Williams was found in Montana because of a tip, said Investigator Richard Henry with the U.S. Marshals Sex Offender Task Force in Fayetteville.
Williams was working at a hotel in exchange for a place to stay. The hotel owner became wary of Williams when she noticed he was paying too much attention to her daughter and offering to take her for ice cream while ignoring her son, Henry said.
The hotel owner did an Internet search and discovered Williams was wanted in Benton County. She phoned Action Bail Bonds in Bentonville to let them know where to find Williams, Henry said.
Williams left the hotel the same night the owner phoned in the tip. He went to Troy where he married a woman he met online while he was staying at the hotel, Henry said.
Williams was found and arrested after Arkansas authorities sent his photograph to McLeod. Williams will be extradited to face charges in Arkansas, Henry said.
Williams is charged with first-degree sexual assault, a Class A felony; three counts of second-degree sexual assault, a Class B felony; and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, tampering and harassment, all Class A misdemeanors. He also is charged with theft of services, a Class B felony, for writing a $7,570 bad check to Action Bail Bonds to cover his $75,000 bond, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
He could receive a sentence of 30 years if convicted of first degree sexual assault and five to 20 years for each count of second degree sexual assault.
Williams previously pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
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