Man arrested in connection with Gravette rape, beating
BENTONVILLE — A Gravette woman who was raped and beaten told police her attacker got into her house after knocking on the door and asking to use her phone, court documents show.
Charles Alan Rickman, 30, of Siloam Springs, her accused attacker, was arrested in connection with rape, aggravated residential burglary, aggravated assault, kidnapping, terroristic threatening, tampering with physical evidence, theft of property and interference with emergency communication.
Prosecutors haven’t filed formal charges against Rickman. Circuit Judge Brad Karren set Rickman’s bond at $250,000 during a hearing Friday.
The woman told Benton County Sheriff’s Office detectives a man came to her door about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and asked to use her cellphone, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Friday.
The woman said she opened her door a few inches and slid the phone to him but, when he returned to the door with the phone,
he pushed the door into her and forced his way into the home, according to the affidavit.
The man used a brown cloth material already in the home to tie around her head, covering her eyes, nose and mouth, the affidavit states. The woman said the man tied her, beat and raped her until 6 to 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the affidavit.
The woman said the man threatened to kill her, according to the affidavit.
Sheriff ’s detectives learned the woman was having work done on her house by a registered sex offender, according to the affidavit. Detectives spoke with the man and he denied any involvement in the incident, but he told detectives his partner — Rickman — was acting nervous when he came to work Tuesday morning. He added he saw injuries on Rickman’s hand.
The co-worker told detectives the last time they were at the home in the Strawberry Ridge area was a month ago.
Detectives arrested Rickman at his house Tuesday in a prior alcohol-related case. Rickman’s mother gave detectives permission to search a vehicle in the front yard that is registered to her.
Detectives found women’s clothing including bras, underwear, an oil container, used condoms, a blue plastic glove with blood on it, and a binder containing pornography magazines, according to the affidavit.
Rickman was questioned by a detective and asked why he had women’s underwear in his car and why the items appeared to have blood on them. Rickman claimed the blood is his and he likes to wear women’s clothing because he’s gay, according to the affidavit.
Rickman requested an attorney when he was asked about the woman’s attack, according to the affidavit.
He had scratches on his inner thighs, hands, back, stomach and arms, the affidavit says. He also had what appeared to be bruises on the back of his right arm.
The woman identified two items of clothing found in Rickman’s car as hers, according to the affidavit.
Carrie Dobbs, deputy prosecutor, recommended Friday bond be set at $250,000, citing the seriousness of the case.
Jonathan Faught, deputy public defender, represented Rickman at the hearing. Faught told Karren that Rickman has lived in Northwest Arkansas his entire life, has numerous ties to the community and no felony criminal convictions. Rickman had a job up until his arrest, Faught said.
The judge ordered Rickman not to have any contact with the woman.