Fayetteville's Thompson Gets 45 Years For Child Sex Abuse, Rape

Thompson

Thompson

Saturday, June 14, 2014

FAYETTEVILLE -- Mario Deshaun Thompson, convicted Thursday of sexually abusing two children and raping a third, was sentenced Friday to 45 years at the Arkansas Department of Correction.

Thompson, 26, was found guilty in Washington County Circuit Court of two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and one count of rape. The jury recommended 10 years in prison on each sexual abuse charge and 25 years on the rape charge.

Thompson claimed his mental retardation should absolve him of criminal culpability in the case.

Circuit Judge William Storey opted to run the sentences consecutively.

"Mr. Thompson, this is another very troubling situation that I see all too often. I understand you have some limitations, but that is no excuse for what you did to these children," Storey said. "You were in a position of trust and you took advantage of that trust. You will get out of prison but I'm doubtful these children will ever fully recover from the things you did to them, that's the terrible thing about this."

The abuse came to light after one of the girls in January told her mother Thompson raped her in a dressing room at the Jones Center in Springdale when she was 9 or 10 years old.

The other girl's mother contacted police after Thompson sent her an apology via Facebook. The girl said she was 7 when Thompson touched her in a day care bathroom and again when he took her to an abandoned house. Both incidents were in Fayetteville.

Thompson was 18 or 19 years old at the time.

There was no physical evidence because the incidents happened so long ago, but both girls testified at trial. Thompson, who babysat both girls, didn't testify in his defense.

The defense argued Thompson has an incurable mental defect, mental retardation, rendering him incapable of appreciating the criminality of his actions or conforming his behavior to the law.

Dr. Michael Simon, a psychologist at the Arkansas State Hospital, examined Thompson and concluded he was mildly retarded, with an intelligence quotient in the mid-60s, and fit to stand trial. Simon said Thompson is capable of conforming his behavior to the law and can appreciate the criminality of his actions.

NW News on 06/14/2014