Sexually assaulting girls nets man prison time
BENTONVILLE — Two victims described how their abuser had impacted their lives before he was sentenced to 10 years in prison April 16.
Ricardo Mayen, 39, of Gentry, stood with his head down as Justin Harper, deputy prosecutor, read victim impact statements on behalf of the victims.
Mayen previously pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault under a plea agreement Kent McLemore, Mayen’s attorney, reached with Harper.
Mayen was in court for sentencing April 16.
One of the victims told Mayen in her statement he took advantage of her.
“Are you proud of yourself?” Harper read from the statement. “Are you proud you got to take advantage of not only me, but other little girls?”
She said there were days she sat in her room crying with thoughts of suicide running through her mind. At times, she was disgusted with herself.
“You made me hate my body,” Harper read from the letter. “I hate my thighs, my side, my breast, my neck, my shoulders, my lips, my eyes.”
The second victim was in the courtroom, but Harper read the statement on her behalf.
She told Mayen in her statement he turned out to be a monster in her life. She said she grew up hating herself. Mayen took everything from her when she was a little girl, she wrote.
“I will not let you and all the horrible things you’ve done dictate my life from now on,” Harper read from her statement. “Just know that all the pain and suffering you put me through is irreversible.”
Mayen was arrested in September 2022 after a 14-year-old girl accused Mayen of sexually abusing her. She was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County where she described details of the abuse.
A 17-year-old girl also was interviewed and described Mayen abusing her.
Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren sentenced Mayen to 10 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. He must register as a sex offender, and he must be evaluated for sex offender treatment.