BENTONVILLE -- A Fayetteville man was found guilty Thursday of raping a teenage boy he met on a dating app before becoming the boy's court-appointed guardian.
A jury of six men and six women deliberated for almost three hours Wednesday and an hour Thursday morning before returning with guilty verdicts for Michael Stoelting, 42.
Stoelting was arrested in December 2019. He lived in Cave Springs at the time, according to court documents.
The jury heard testimony Stoelting met a 16-year-old boy on Grindr, a dating app.
The now 19-year-old man told jurors he first told Stoelting he was 18, but told him his actual age was 16 after the two met and engaged in a sex act. He said Stoelting told him he was 28 years old, but later told him he was 40.
The man said he went to live with Stoelting about a month after meeting him. The man said Stoelting treated him well at first, but Stoelting started taking away the computer and television when the man didn't want to have physical contact.
He testified Stoelting went to court and was appointed his guardian. He said Stoelting had sexual contact with him twice after becoming his guardian.
Sarah Phillips, deputy prosecutor, asked the man if he could identify Stoelting, who was sitting at a table across the courtroom with his attorneys.
"I saw him, but I don't want to see him anymore," the man said.
Sam Hall, Stoelting's attorney, questioned the man and pointed out contradictions in the man's testimony concerning whether the sex acts occurred before or after Stoelting became the boy's guardian.
Prosecutors also presented text messages between Stoelting and the man where the two discussed their relationship.
A police officer told jurors the then-teenage boy said he didn't want to be deported back to Guatemala and had discussed marriage and adoption. The officer said Stoelting confirmed the conversation took place and believed adopting the teen was the best option and marriage was out of the question.
Stoelting didn't testify at the trial.
Sentencing proceedings began Thursday. Stoelting faces from 10 to 40 years in life or life imprisonment.