BENTONVILLE -- A former Lowell police officer was arrested last week for the second time in two months and charged with another count of sexually assaulting a child.
Roy Eugene Mitchell, 45, was charged by the Washington County prosecuting attorney's office on Nov. 27 with sexual assault. The arrest is in connection with a Nov. 2 incident where he's accused of having sexual contact with someone younger than 14, according to court documents.
Mitchell was booked at 12:11 p.m. Friday into the Washington County jail and released about an hour later on a $50,000 bond.
Arkansas State Police first arrested Mitchell on Oct. 5. The Lowell Police Department terminated Mitchell immediately before his arrest.
He was free on $25,000 bond after the first arrest.
Mitchell pleaded innocent Oct. 20 to the first two counts of sexual assault, in which he's accused of sexually assaulting two minors. The charges are in connection with improper contact, not rape, Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Durrett previously said and court documents show.
The first count alleges between Jan. 1 and Sept. 21, Mitchell "engaged in sexual contact with another person" younger than 14. The second count dates to between Feb. 16, 2017, and Feb. 15, 2018. In that count Mitchell is accused of having sexual contact with another minor.
Mitchell faces five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000 on each charge, if convicted.
Mitchell served earlier this year at Tucker Elementary School in Lowell as a school resource officer, according to the Rogers School District. Mitchell wasn't working at the school during either of the alleged offenses, according to school officials.
Detective Mandy Ruth with the Lowell Police Department previously said the department was informed by the Arkansas State Police of the allegations against Mitchell on Sept. 22, and the officer was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome.
The state police Criminal Investigation Division opened the investigation Sept. 22 following a call to the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division Hotline, according to their arrest announcement.
Mitchell joined the Lowell Police Department in June 2020, according to the department's Facebook page. He previously worked for the Prairie Grove Police Department.