TEXARKANA -- A woman accused of sexually assaulting a prisoner while she was a Little River County jail administrator has a new trial date.
Mary Gibson, 44, is scheduled to stand trial Sept. 26 in the Little River County Circuit Court in Ashdown. Circuit Judge Charles Yeargan set a pretrial hearing for Sept. 6. The trial was originally scheduled to start this week.
Gibson is accused of fourth-degree sexual assault of a male inmate and furnishing prohibited articles to the same prisoner, according to the arrest affidavit
The sexual assault charge is a Class D felony with a sentence of up to six years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. The Class C felony of furnishing prohibited articles to an inmate carries a sentence of three to 10 years and a maximum fine of $10,000.
Gibson is accused of sexually assaulting Steven Chad Carmack, 36, of Little River County.
On March 12, three boys playing in the woods near the Jack's Isle community found Carmack's body hanging from a tree, according to Chief Deputy Alex Mathis.
Carmack's family had reported him missing Jan. 31. Police estimated that his body had been hanging from the tree for about two weeks.
Ashdown attorney Mickey Buchanan, who is representing Gibson, said the proceedings in the sexual assault case can continue despite Carmack's death. Buchanan will use other witnesses and evidence in Gibson's defense.
Gibson and Carmack spent time together between May 2015 and August 2015, according to an affidavit. Gibson was the jail administrator, and Carmack was serving time for failure to pay child support.
While Carmack was an inmate, Gibson would let him out of his cell, usually after 5 p.m., according to the affidavit.
Security cameras showed Gibson and a male inmate sitting next to each other and talking at all hours of the day and night, according to the affidavit. Gibson also can be seen sitting in a chair in Carmack's cell, according to records.
Special agents said Gibson and Carmack would smoke cigarettes and kiss while sitting on a bench on the courthouse lawn.
The arrest affidavit said Gibson also would bring food to Carmack from different restaurants.
State Desk on 05/25/2016