BENTONVILLE -- A former Benton County Sheriff's Office deputy is accused of sexually assaulting a girl while he frisked her during traffic stops in 2015.
Lloyd Sean Chandler is charged with first-degree sexual assault and distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. Chandler is free on a $50,000 bond.
Prosecutors filed an additional felony charge -- second-degree sexual assault -- against Chandler on Wednesday.
He's accused of making traffic stops between April and July of 2015 where he frisked the girl in a manner involving sexual contact, according to court documents.
The same girl is the victim in both sexual-assault charges.
Shane Wilkinson, Chandler's attorney, was critical of the added charge.
"It's new information over a year and half later, on the eve of the trial, that has never been stated before despite previous interviews," he said.
Chandler was arrested Feb. 23, 2016. He's accused of engaging in intercourse with a girl with whom he held a position of trust or authority over, according to court documents. Chandler also is accused of possessing multiple images of a nude child, according to court documents.
Chandler was a sergeant with the special investigations unit at the Sheriff's Office. He was fired after his arrest.
The teen told police she had sex with Chandler at his home when she was 16, according to court documents. The girl also said she and Chandler exchanged explicit photographs, according to a probable cause affidavit. The girl told police she met Chandler where she worked, and they began a friendship, according to court documents.
Chandler admitted to "playing around" with the girl at his home, but he denied intercourse with her, according to the probable cause affidavit. He also said the two exchanged photographs, according to the documents.
Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren severed the second-degree assault charge, meaning it will not be considered at Chandler's upcoming trial.
Chandler faces from six to 30 years in prison if convicted of first-degree sexual assault. He could be sentenced from three to 10 years if convicted of distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. He faces from five to 20 years in prison if convicted of second-degree sexual assault.
NW News on 02/18/2017