Bella Vista man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting girls

A Bella Vista man — a Level 3 sex offender — was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he admitted to sexually assaulting two girls.

Aaron Paul Adams, 42, pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of sexual assault in the second degree, a Class B felony which is punishable with from five to 20 years in prison. However, Adams was charged as a habitual offender so he faced up to 40 years on each count.

He pleaded guilty under a plea agreement his attorney Sam Hall reached with Stuart Cearley, chief deputy prosecutor.

Jury selection in Adams' case was scheduled to begin Tuesday, but his plea resolves the case.

Adams was arrested Oct. 4, 2013 in connection with the sexual abuse of an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old. The abuse dates back to 2011, according to court documents.

The judge accepted the plea agreement and Adams’ guilty pleas.

Adams was sentenced to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction for each of the counts. The sentences will be served concurrently so Adams has to serve one-sixth of the sentence before he will be eligible for parole.

Adams was placed on four years of state probation in December 2012 after pleading guilty to five counts of a registered offender prohibited from entering upon a school campus, a Class D felony.

He also was convicted of three counts of indecent exposure involving incidents while he lived in California, according to court documents.

Upcoming Events