Sexual assault plea nets 12 years in prison for Rogers man

BENTONVILLE — A Rogers man was sentenced to 12 years in prison after admitting to sexually assaulting a woman.

Courtney Crouthers, 44, was originally charged with rape but agreed to plead guilty to sexual assault under a plea agreement Bobby Digby, Crouthers’ attorney, reached with Wilson Raines, deputy prosecutor.

Crouthers also pleaded guilty to residential burglary, domestic battering, violation of a no- contact order and interfering with emergency communications.

He was arrested in February 2022. A caller reported to police a woman notified him through an Amazon Alexa a man was in her home and was attempting to rape her, according to a probable cause affidavit. She reported the suspect took her phone so she was unable to call police, the affidavit states.

Rogers police went to the woman’s home. She told police she had been sleeping when Crouthers woke her up, according to the affidavit.

The woman told police she told Crouthers to leave her home, but he raped her, according to the affidavit.

Crouthers was later arrested and told police he went to the woman’s home uninvited to get his belongings. He said the woman started hitting him and he left, according to affidavit. Crouthers denied raping the woman, according to the affidavit.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green accepted the plea agreement and Crouthers’ guilty plea. He was sentenced to 12 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

He’ll be required to register as a sex offender, and he must complete a sex offender treatment program. Crouthers must also be evaluated and comply with any recommendations for anger management.

Green ordered Crouthers not to have any contact with the woman.

Crouthers