BENTONVILLE — A Rogers man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting he sexually assaulted two girls.
Javier Martinez, 38, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of sexual assault. He was arrested June 28.
The father of a 13-year-old girl told police his daughter had been sexually assaulted, according to a probable cause affidavit. The girl was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County. She said she was sleeping and awoke to Martinez touching her inappropriately, according to the affidavit. A 12-year-old girl also was interviewed at the center. She said Martinez had been inappropriately touching her for several years, according to the affidavit.
Matthew Light, deputy prosecutor, read a victim impact statement on behalf of the younger girl.
“For the rest of my life, I will have to deal with the fact that I can’t take back what happened, yet I’m content with that,” Light read. “Now that I have slowly gotten over what happened, I will never be as I was before. The guilt that I was told would go away, never has. It stays with me as a ghost of shame. “
Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren sentenced Martinez to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. Martinez will have to abide by a suspended sentence agreement for five years after his release from prison.
Tracy M. Neal can be reached by email at [email protected] or Twitter @NWATracy.