BENTONVILLE (KFSM) — A Bentonville man was sentenced last week to 40 years in prison for raping a 3-year-old and beating a 10-month-old.
Arthur James Lewis, 26, pleaded guilty Thursday (Nov. 15) in Benton County Circuit Court to rape and first-degree domestic battery.
Judge Brad Karren sentenced Lewis to 30 years in the state Department of Correction on the rape charge and 10 years for battery.
He also received a 10-year suspended sentence set to begin when he’s released.
Lewis was arrested in January following an investigation into child abuse by Bentonville police.
Officers went to Mercy Convenient Care after the 10-month-old girl arrived with a broken tibia, according to court documents.
Lewis told police he was sleeping when she woke him up crying, so he “yanked her up out of the crib” but “felt a tug,” saying she must’ve caught her leg in the crib, according to the affidavit.
Lewis said he didn’t think her injury was that severe, so he gave her some Tylenol and got her back to sleep.
During a separate interview with the other girl, a 3-year-old, investigators learned that Lewis may have raped her. The girl also said Lewis has touched her inappropriately, according to a probable cause affidavit.
When police confronted Lewis with the rape allegations, he put his head in his hands and said he didn’t want to go to jail.
Lewis requested a lawyer shortly after, so the interview was terminated. But Lewis asked police if he did rape the girl, was it possible he could “go to rehab or something,” according to the affidavit.
