Man pleads guilty to rape, more

Turner, 48, gets concurrent terms in plea deal for repeatedly molesting young boy

A man who molested a boy repeatedly more than a decade ago has pleaded guilty to rape and other sex crimes as part of a plea bargain including a 40-year sentence.

Freddie Russell Turner, 48, who goes by Russ, appeared with Texarkana lawyer Jeff Harrelson before Circuit Judge Kirk Johnson and entered a plea of guilty to seven felonies Monday morning. Turner’s crimes include two counts of rape, two counts of second-degree sexual assault and three counts of sexual indecency with a child.

Russell received 40-year terms on each count of rape, 20-year terms on each assault charge and six-year terms on each count of indecency. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Connie Mitchell said the state agreed that each sentence will run concurrently to the other six.

Mitchell read two victim-impact statements from the victim’s family into the record. The victim himself faced Turner and looked into his face as he gave a statement concerning the impact Turner’s abuse of him has had. The victim is now an adult and reported the abuse to law enforcement in 2018.

Speaking with conviction, the young man told Turner how deep

ly his crimes have affected him.

“I took a stand for the ones I love,” the victim said. “I didn’t realize I was strong until I confronted this head-on.”

Court records indicate Turner is suspected of having abused other children, male and female.

Turner’s misconduct with the victim allegedly began in 2003, when the victim was 6 or 7 years old, and continued until 2008, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Turner abused the boy while his mother was not at home and Turner was the only adult supervising children. The abuse occurred at a residence in Texarkana, Ark., and in several other locations where Turner would have contact with the victim.

Turner, who was free on a $50,000 bond, was taken into custody at the end of his sentencing hearing. He will be held in the Miller County jail until he is transported to the Arkansas Department of Correction.

Turner must serve at least 70 percent of his term before becoming parole eligible.