BENTONVILLE – Jurors spent Wednesday morning watching Ali Matar Jr.’s interview with a police detective.
Matar, 22, of Lowell is charged with rape, a Class Y felony, and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree, a Class B felony. He is accused of sexually abusing three of his students.
Matar worked for the Bentonville School District with the Adventure Club at R.E. Baker Elementary.
The three girls were among the kindergarteners that Matar looked after in the after-school program.
Matar was arrested in May 2014 in connection with raping a 5-year-old girl. He was arrested days later in connection with sexually assaulting two 6-year-old students.
Dahrron Moss, a Bentonville police detective, testified Wednesday morning that he was assigned the case after the department received a report from the Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline.
Moss said he contacted the mother and asked her to take her daughter to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County.
Moss then tried to contact Matar. He and another detective went to Matar’s residence, but Matar was not at home. Matar later called Moss and agreed to come to the police department.
Jurors were able to watch the interrogation on two large screens in the courtroom.
Moss and Matar talked about sports and working with children before Moss began questioning Matar about the allegations concerning the 5-year-old girl.
Moss even shared a supposed story about his background. Moss tells Matar that he worked at a juvenile facility and there was a teen named Charlie Wolfe and he communicated by grunting. Charlie smelled badly so Moss said he and a nurse would help Charlie shower.
According to Moss, Charlie was released and he was able to communicate. “He tells his mom and dad that teacher Moss was touching his wee-wee,” Moss told Matar.
Moss said Charlie did not tell his parents that a nurse was there whenever the showers took place.
Moss said when questioned by Nathan Smith, Benton County’s prosecuting attorney, that it was not a true story, but only one made up to make Matar more comfortable and to gain his trust.
The police detective told Matar that an allegation was made that he inappropriately touched a girl during computer time.
Matar denied ever being alone with girl and touching her inappropriately.
Matar later told Moss that he did not want to touch the girl.
“I know you didn’t,” Moss said. “I’ve had a lot of cowards sitting in front of me. You are not a coward. Most men don’t want to talk about it.”
Matar said he was ashamed and did not want to say anything. He then told the detective that the girl’s hands were in her clothing and she was scratching herself.
Matar claimed that the inappropriate touching occurred when he was pulling the girl’s hands out of her clothing.
Matar admitted in the interview to inappropriately touching four times.
The former school employee was concerned about the case being public. “I’m ashamed of this,” Matar said.
Chris Moffitt, another Bentonville police detective, joined the interview.
Matar claimed again that he was pulling the girl’s hand out of her shorts and inappropriately touched the girl. Matar later admits to touching the girl again, and said he was curious when he touched the girl the second time.
Matar told the detectives that the inappropriate touching happened on one day.
Moss’ testimony will continue Wednesday afternoon.
The three girls are also expected to testify.