HS man charged with raping local man in his home
A local man was arrested Sunday after allegedly forcing his way into another man’s home where he assaulted and raped him, and was reportedly still there when Hot Springs police arrived after being flagged down by the victim.
Da’Chino Shaquan Cheatham, 28, who lists a Higdon Ferry Road address, was taken into custody shortly before 3:30 p.m. and charged with felony counts of rape, punishable by up to life in prison, residential burglary, punishable by up to 20 years, aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance, each punishable by up to six years, and misdemeanor counts of third-degree battery and first-degree criminal mischief.
Cheatham was initially held on a zero bond but appeared Monday in Garland County District Court where he pleaded not guilty to all the charges and is set for a felony review hearing on April 7 with his bond set at $100,000. Judge Joe Graham issued a court order barring Cheatham from contact with the victim and a gag order limiting pretrial publicity in the case.
According to court records, Cheatham was convicted on Dec. 1, 2021, of two felony counts of second-degree forgery and sentenced to five years’ probation. He was arrested for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia on Feb. 27 and had pleaded not guilty with a hearing set for April 7 in district court.
According to the probable cause affidavit on Sunday’s arrest, shortly after 3 p.m., police responded to a report of a possible disturbance at a residence in the city called in by a third party who stated someone came to a friend’s house and attacked him and was still there.
Officer Stephan Parrott arrived at the scene and was flagged down by a man, 22, who stated a homeless man he knew only as “Dachino” had attacked him and then entered his residence and was still inside. The man stated the suspect had raped him and officers noted he had a laceration on the side of his neck and injuries to his mouth.
Officers went to the man’s residence and opened the front door with the man’s permission. Inside the residence in the living room, they reportedly located a man, later identified as Cheatham, sitting on the sofa. He stood up and officers noted his privates were exposed.
Cheatham was detained while officers gathered additional information and after the victim stated he wanted to press charges he was taken into custody. In searching him, officers allegedly found a prescription bottle in someone else’s name that contained four hydrocodone pills.
A police detective later responded to a local hospital where he made contact with the victim who was being treated in the emergency room for his injuries.
The victim stated he was at his residence when he received a text from Cheatham asking if he had any food. The victim was waiting for a friend to pick him up for work and when he heard a knock at his door a few minutes later he thought it was his friend.
He opened the door partially and reportedly saw Cheatham standing there and he again asked if he “had any food for him.” He told him he didn’t have any which reportedly made Cheatham mad so the victim attempted to close the door.
Cheatham allegedly held the door open as they began arguing and then he forced his way into the residence. He then allegedly grabbed the victim by the neck, restricting his airway.
The victim states a scuffle ensued and they began “rolling on the floor” of the residence. At one point, the victim was able to grab his cellphone, which sustained an impact that automatically sent a 911 alert to his emergency contacts, including the friend he was waiting on.
During the struggle, Cheatham allegedly raped the victim, who noted Cheatham was “stronger than him” and he was “scared what he would do to him.”
The victim was able to flee the residence at one point and flag down police who had been alerted by his friend.
Officers noted there was damage to the victim’s door frame and wall and drywall debris on the floor by the door where “it had been forced open.” Officers also found a pocket knife that was “open and ready for use” near where Cheatham had been sitting when officers first arrived.
Cheatham was later questioned at the police department after being read his rights and he reportedly admitted to going to the victim’s apartment and asking him for food. When the man told him he didn’t have any, Cheatham allegedly stated this “made him mad because he knew that was not true.”
A scuffle then ensued, Cheatham said. When asked if anything else happened, Cheatham indicated he and the man had consensual sex and denied raping him. When asked who had started the fight, he reportedly said he “did not remember.”