Man pleads not guilty to rape charges

BENTONVILLE — A Siloam Springs man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he beat and raped a 69-yearold woman.

Charles Alan Rickman, 30, is charged with aggravated residential burglary, kidnapping, two counts of rape, battery, terroristic threatening, aggravated assault and theft of property. He entered his plea before Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren.

A woman told Benton County Sheriff’s Office detectives a man came to her door about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 4 and asked to use her cellphone, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The woman said she opened her door a few inches and slid the phone to him, but when he returned to the door with the phone he forced his way into the home, according to the affidavit.

The man used a brown cloth material already in the home to tie around her head, covering her eyes, nose and mouth, the affidavit states. The woman said the man tied her, beat and raped her until 6 to 6:30 a.m. that day, according to court documents.

The woman said the man threatened to kill her, according to the affidavit.

Sheriff’s detectives learned that Rickman had done some work on the woman’s house, according to court documents. Rickman’s mother gave detectives permission to search a vehicle in the front yard that is registered to her. They found women’s clothing, an oil container, used condoms, a blue plastic glove with blood on it and a binder containing pornography magazines, according to the affidavit.

Rickman requested an attorney when he was asked by detectives about the woman’s attack, according to the affidavit. He was arrested Oct. 6.

The woman identified two items of clothing found in Rickman’s car as belonging to her, according to court documents.

Rickman was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with a $250,000 bond set. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 11.

Rickman