Local man charged with alleged sexual assault
A Hot Springs man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a felony warrant for sexual assault for allegedly fondling a 12-year-old girl around Christmas last year.
John A. Ford, 60, turned himself in at the Garland County Sheriff’s Department after learning of the warrant and was taken into custody shortly after 4 p.m. on the charge of second-degree sexual assault, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
He remained in custody Thursday in lieu of $5,000 bond and is set to appear April 10 in Garland County District Court.
According to the affidavit, on Jan. 16, a report was filed with the GCSD regarding the alleged assault of a 12-year-old girl by a known suspect, identified as Ford. Two days later, the alleged victim was interviewed at the Cooper-Anthony Mercy
Child Advocacy Center by forensic interviewer Tracy Childress. The interview was observed by
GCSD Investigator Jennifer Tonseth, advocate Brandi Cannon and Arkansas State Police Investigator Katherine Finnegan.
The girl stated that during Christmas break, Ford had touched her on her back and buttocks and later touched her inner thigh and moved his hand toward her privates while sitting on a couch with her.
On anoth- er occasion,
Ford allegedly asked her to try on a vest and slid his hands over her breasts while putting it on. Later that same day, Ford allegedly groped her buttocks while she was standing at the refrigerator. She stated that each time he would touch her she would move away and leave the room.
The girl stated she was afraid to tell her mother about the incidents but Ford was later asked to leave.
On March 3, Ford voluntarily came in for questioning and denied having any kind of sexual intent when he touched the girl. He said he may have touched her breasts when he put the vest on her and admitted he did hug her while she was at the refrigerator and that his hand was on her thigh. He denied groping her buttocks.