Former ASMSA residential mentor charged with sexual assault of student
A former “residential mentor” at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts was arrested on a felony sexual assault charge Wednesday night stemming from allegations he propositioned and groped a male student there last summer.
Julius Jemone Mays, 24, who lists a Fayetteville address, reportedly turned himself in at the Hot Springs Police Department around 7 p.m. on a felony warrant for second-degree sexual assault, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Public information specialist for ASMSA, Donnie Sewell, told
The Sentinel-Record on Thursday, “Mr. Mays is no longer employed by ASMSA and we cannot discuss personnel matters as a policy.”
Mays, who lists no prior criminal history, remained in custody Thursday in lieu of a $3,500 bond and is set to appear June 30 in Garland County District Court, although he will likely be arraigned before then if unable to post bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Aug. 19, 2021, during the evening hours, the alleged victim, 16, was on the second floor of student housing at ASMSA, 200 Whittington Ave., and was walking to another room when he walked past the room of Mays.
Mays, 23 at the time, lived on campus as a “residential mentor,” which are members of school staff that live in the same housing building and are responsible for a specific floor.
Mays allegedly called the juvenile into his room and displayed a photo of male privates, asking the juvenile “what he thought about it.” Mays then allegedly reached toward the juvenile’s groin area, but the juvenile told Mays “no” and left.
Mays later allegedly sent a message to the juvenile again asking him what he thought about the photo and asking him to send a photo back.
Later that same evening, Mays allegedly confronted the juvenile in a separate student dorm room while standing between the juvenile and the exit into the common area/hallway of the second floor.
Mays allegedly asked to touch the
juvenile’s buttocks and then stepped closer to him, reached around him and grabbed the juvenile’s buttocks over his clothing. Mays reportedly told the juvenile he “had a cute butt.”
When the juvenile tried to leave, Mays told him he “had to let him” put his hands down the juvenile’s pants to “get an actual feel.”
The juvenile told him no and left shortly thereafter, the affidavit said.
The incident was reported via ASMSA staff, who reportedly confronted Mays prior to law enforcement notification. Mays left the school shortly thereafter. After further investigation by HSPD Detective Thomas Plummer, a warrant for Mays’ arrest was later issued.