A 27-year-old Paragould man was arrested Sunday on a felony warrant stemming from allegations he got a 15-year-old Hot Springs girl pregnant last year.
Jonathan D. Mathis was taken into custody shortly before 2 p.m. during a traffic stop in the 1600 block of Central Avenue and charged with fourth-degree sexual assault, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison.
Mathis, who also had a warrant for failure to appear, was later released on a $2,500 bond and is set to appear Dec. 10 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Oct. 17, 2018, Hot Springs police detectives learned of a possible sex offense involving a 15-year-old girl and a 26-year-old man.
The Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline had been contacted regarding the 15-year-old being impregnated by her boyfriend, identified as Mathis.
On Dec. 4, 2018, Detective Hunter Scott met with Mathis at the police department and when asked about the alleged victim, Mathis reportedly stated it was about "statutory rape" because of the age difference between him and his girlfriend.
He reportedly admitted to having sex with the victim on his birthday in 2017. Mathis was released at that time but a warrant for his arrest was later issued.