Man guilty in rape of girl, 10

 Joseph Wayne Arms
Joseph Wayne Arms

BENTONVILLE -- An Oklahoma man was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison after he admitted raping a 10-year-old girl.

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Joseph Wayne Arms, 30, of Hugo, Okla., pleaded guilty to rape, a felony, on Thursday. He also was charged as a habitual offender.

The plea came under an agreement that attorney Scott McElveen reached with Stuart Cearley, the Benton County chief deputy prosecutor.

Arms was arrested Jan. 19.

Rogers police began an investigation after they received a report from the Iowa Department of Human Services concerning a girl who said Arms molested her, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The girl said Arms sexually abused her in a Rogers motel, according to court documents. The girl said Arms also took photographs of her and showed her pornographic videos.

Arms initially denied having sexual contact with the girl when he was interviewed by police. He admitted later to engaging in numerous sex acts with the girl, according to the affidavit.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green accepted the plea agreement and Arms' guilty plea.

Arms must serve at least 28 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction before he is eligible for parole. Arms must abide by a suspended sentence for 10 years after his release from prison. He must also register as a sex offender.

Arms wanted permission to write a letter of apology to be given to the girl, but Green said Arms couldn't have any type of contact with her.

Green told Arms that he could give the letter to his attorney, who could pass it along to the prosecutor. The prosecutor could then decide whether to give the letter to the girl's mother.

State Desk on 06/11/2016

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