Bentonville man found fit to stand trial in sexual assault

 Damon Wayne White
Damon Wayne White

BENTONVILLE -- A Bentonville man facing charges involving sex crimes against children was found fit to stand trial.

Damon Wayne White, 40, is charged with rape, sexual assault, possession of a controlled substance and distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green in January ordered White to undergo a mental evaluation.

White was found fit to stand trial, and Green scheduled his jury trial to begin Aug. 7.

White was arrested May 6, 2017.

A 15-year-old girl reported White forced her to have sex on multiple occasions, according to a probable cause affidavit. The girl also said White forced her to use cocaine and once held a gun to her head and ordered her to use the drug, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The girl also reported White recorded some of the sexual activity, according to the affidavit.

A second girl, also 15, reported White engaged in sex acts with her, according to the affidavit. The girl also said White gave her cocaine and she believes White gave her a "drugged" brownie before sexually assaulting her, according to the affidavit.

The girls were interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County, according to the affidavit.

White is also accused of manufacturing a film depicting a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

He is being held on $600,000 bond in the Benton County Jail.

NW News on 05/16/2018

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