BENTONVILLE -- Prosecutors will not proceed with the case against a Siloam Springs man accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl.
Reynaldo Camarillo-Perez was charged with sexual assault and 10 counts of distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.
"My client and his family are very glad to finally put this behind them," Camarillo-Perez's attorney Chad Atwell said.
Camarillo-Perez was arrested May 23, 2016.
The girl told her mother Perez had inappropriately touched her, according to the affidavit. The girl was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County.
The girl said Perez told her not to tell anyone, but she told her older sister, according to the affidavit.
Jury selection was scheduled to begin Monday before Circuit Judge Brad Karren.
Carly Marshall, deputy prosecutor, filed a motion to nolle prosequi the case against Perez. A nolle prosequi is a formal entry on the record in which a prosecuting officer states he will not prosecute the case further, according to Black's Law Dictionary.
The judge signed the order granting Marshall's request.
"After consulting with the victim's mother the decision was made not to proceed with the case to avoid putting the victim through having to testify and the rest of the trial process," Marshall said.
Prosecutors have a year to refile the charge.
NW News on 11/11/2017