Ex-employee at Arkansas Christian home accused of sexually assaulting girl

A former staff member at a Christian home for displaced and abused children in Arkansas is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a resident, court records show.

Ethan Wayne Riley, 25, of Fort Smith was arrested Monday after a Charleston Police Department investigation into accusations of misconduct involving an 11-year-old girl while he was employed at Maggie House in Charleston, according to the affidavit.

He faces charges of second-degree sexual assault, a class B felony, and sexual indecency with a child, a class D felony, for incidents that reportedly occurred between Dec. 1, 2015, and Aug. 23, documents filed this week in Franklin County Circuit Court show.

Police say an investigation began Aug. 23 after an initial report was filed Aug. 17 stating that Riley had been fired from his job at the facility because of electronic communications with the girl.

The girl told authorities that Riley had touched her inappropriately on multiple occasions in closets at Maggie House as well as at a movie theater in Fort Smith and a lake or pond in the Paris area, the affidavit states. She also said Riley had kissed her in the house's food pantry.

On at least one another occasion, the girl said, she was asked to perform sex acts with Riley.

She also declined requests from Riley for the exchange of nude photos of herself and the former Maggie House employee, according to police.

Records show Riley was booked into the Sebastian County jail shortly before 8 p.m. Monday and released around three hours later on $50,000 bond.

If convicted, Riley could face up to 26 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction and a fine of up to $26,000.

A Maggie House spokesman was not available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

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