BENTONVILLE -- A Rogers woman pleaded no contest to the charges she faced instead of going to trial Tuesday.
Jurors reported to Circuit Judge Brad Karren's courtroom for jury selection. Lisa Norman, however, agreed to plead no contest to sexual assault in the first degree and sexual assault in the second degree. The plea deal was reached by attorney Sam Hall with Carly Marshall, deputy prosecutor.
Norman was sentenced to six years in the Arkansas Department of Correction under the plea deal.
Norman, 47, originally was charged with rape, a Class Y felony. The punishment range is normally 10 to 40 years or life, but a conviction of raping a child 13 or younger carries a minimum sentence of 25 years.
Norman was arrested Jan. 31, 2013. She had been free on $75,000 bond since then.
The father of a 15-year-old boy reported to police Jan. 17, 2013, his son was inappropriately touched when the boy was younger, according to a probable cause affidavit. The teen was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County.
The boy said the abuse began when he was 7. The abuse occurred between January 2005 and January 2007, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Norman initially denied the allegations, but later told detectives she remembered an incident where she woke up in bed with the boy and was touching him inappropriately, according to court documents. She told police the incident happened when the boy was in the second or third grade, according to the affidavit.
Norman must abide by a suspended sentence agreement for 20 years after her release from prison.
Norman must register as a sex offender and complete the prison's sex offender treatment program or a similar program when she's released from prison.
She can not have any contact with the boy. Karren also ordered her not to have any contact with any minors. Norman must pay $2,120 in court costs.
"We believe the resolution reached today was a fair and just sentence," Marshall said. "The victim and family were supportive of this resolution and are pleased with the outcome."
NW News on 01/14/2015