ROGERS (KFSM) — A convicted sex offender is accused of raping a woman in March after police linked his DNA to the victim, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Jeff Alan Nichols, 28, of Rogers was arrested Wednesday (Nov. 1) in connection with rape, a Class Y felony.
Nichols, a level 3 sex offender, has denied raping the woman.
Offenders in Arkansas are assigned to one of four levels based on a risk assessment process: level 1: low risk; level 2: moderate risk; level 3: high risk; level 4: sexually violent predator. Level 3 sex offenders are considered “high risk” and usually have a history of “repeat sexual offending.”
The woman said she met Nichols March 12 at a bar in Rogers and her roommate invited him back to their home. She reportedly told police she went to bed about 3 a.m. and woke up with Nichols having non consensual sex with her.
The woman’s roommate said she kicked Nichols out of the house when she came into the bedroom and saw Nichols undressed from the waist down, according to the affidavit.
Nichols pleaded guilty in June 2016 to sexual indecency with a child after he exposed himself to a 14-year-old girl, according to court records.
He was being held Thursday (Nov. 2) at the Benton County Jail on a $75,000 bond. He has a hearing set for Dec. 11 in Benton County Circuit Court.
Arkansas laws require registered sex offenders to publicly disclose their name, address and date of birth.
There are more than 11,000 registered sex offenders living in Arkansas, according to the Arkansas Crime Information Center.
As of August 2015, 567 registered sex offenders lived in Washington County, while 547 were listed for Benton County.
