Sex crimes result in 106-year prison sentence

BENTONVILLE — A Garfield man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for committing sex crimes involving children.

Richard Goad Sr., 78, was sentenced July 1 to 106 years in prison for his crimes.

He pleaded guilty July 1 to three counts of rape; distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child; engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium; and sexual grooming of a child.

He pleaded guilty under a plea agreement Sam Hall, his attorney, reached with Tyler Williams, deputy prosecutor.

Goad was arrested in September. He raped a 9-year-old girl and 17-year-old girl.

Benton County Sheriff’s Office detectives began the investigation after receiving a report concerning Goad sexually abusing the younger girl, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The girls were interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County where they gave details of the abuse. The girls also said Goad forced them to watch pornographic videos, according to the affidavit.

The sexual grooming charge involves another child. Detectives recovered a video of Goad involved in a sex act with the child, according to the affidavit.

Detectives found 25 videos depicting child pornography.

They were able to confirm Goad was in the videos because he has a distinct mole on his right ring finger and the same mark was on the man’s hand in the videos, according to the affidavit.

Goad admitted to engaging in sex acts with the children.

Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren sentenced Goad to 30 years in prison for one rape count and 25 years each for the remaining rape counts. He was sentenced to six years in prison for the sexual grooming charge and 20 years for the other two charges. The sentences will be served consecutively, so the total sentence is 106 years.

Goad wouldn’t be eligible for parole until Nov. 28, 2080.

Two other people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Richard Dale Goad Jr., 36, and Bethany Paige Williams, 27, were arrested in November. Each is charged with permitting the abuse of a minor. He’s being held in the Benton County Jail on a $100,000 bond, while she is being held in the jail on a $10,000 bond.

The Garfield residents have pleaded not guilty to the felony charge. They are accused of recklessly failing to take action to prevent the abuse of a minor, according to court documents.

The younger Goad told a detective people told him they witnessed his father sexually abusing one of the girls, but he didn’t believe them. He also said two of the girls told him his father inappropriately touched them, but he didn’t believe them, according to the affidavit.

Goad