Rape suspect to stand trial Jan. 25

A trial date was scheduled during the first appearance Wednesday for a Dierks, Ark., man who is accused of rape.

Howard Holder was assigned a pretrial date of Jan. 4 and a trial date of Jan. 25 in the Howard County Circuit Court in Nashville, Ark.

The Howard County Sheriff’s Department received information from the Crimes Against Children Hotline, which alleges a girl had been sexually abused by Holder beginning as far back as three years ago when she was 14 years old.

Investigators interviewed the girl and on Sept. 22, officials interviewed Holder, who allegedly admitted to sexually abusing the girl, officials say.

Holder was arrested and charged with rape.

Circuit Court Judge Charles Yeargan set a $100,000 bond for Holder, who remains in the county jail in Nashville.