BENTONVILLE -- A Pea Ridge man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Monday for raping a 6-year-old boy.
Kendrick "Kenny" Edward Mulanax, 19, pleaded guilty to rape, a felony, under a plea agreement attorney Dan Ivy reached with deputy prosecutor Carrie Dobbs.
Mulanax's jury trial was scheduled to begin today. He was arrested Sept. 14.
David Undiano, a detective with the Benton County sheriff's office, began to investigate after a school reported a sexual abuse complaint, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The boy was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County where he provided details of the abuse, according to court documents.
Mulanax, when interviewed by Undiano, admitted he sexually abused the child, according to court documents.
Special Circuit Judge Shane Wilkinson, accepted the plea agreement and Mulanax's guilty plea.
Dobbs read a statement to the court on behalf of the parents of the victim.
"This is a tragedy that should happen to no child," Dobbs read. "I hope the court system does everything in its power to make sure that Mr. Mulanax does not do this to any other child."
Mulanax must serve 70 percent of his sentence before he will be eligible for parole. He will have to abide by a suspended sentence agreement for 15 years after his release from prison, must register as a sex offender and must complete the prison's sex offender program.
He received 337 days of jail credit for time spent in the Benton County jail awaiting trial. He must pay $1,420 in court costs.
State Desk on 08/16/2016