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Bella Vista man sentenced to 20 years for three counts of sexual assault

Jason Worley, 39, admitted to sexually assaulting three girls under the age of 18 and manufacturing a controlled substance.

BELLA VISTA, Ark. — A Bella Vista man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual assault on March 14. 

In addition to admitting he sexually assaulted three girls under the age of 18, 39-year-old Jason Worley also pleaded guilty to manufacturing a controlled substance. 

He will spend 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections, and Benton County Judge Brad Karren required Worley to register as a sex offender.

His wife, Jennifer Worley, is also accused of one count of sexual assault related to the case. 

According to a probable cause affidavit, a Bella Vista officer was dispatched to the police department on Nov. 28, 2022, for a reported sexual assault of a minor, identifying the perpetrator as Jason. 

On Nov. 30, 2022, a detective assigned to the case received a phone call about three other individuals who accused Jason of sexual assault. They explained inappropriate encounters with Jason including inappropriate Snapchat messages from him, according to the affidavit. 

According to court documents, each one of Jason's sexual assault offenses was with a person under the age of 18 and he had been "in a position of trust or authority over the minor." 

By Dec. 8, 2022, the detective obtained several screenshots of inappropriate messages between Jason and one of the victims. According to the affidavit, "All illicit messages either sent or received by Jason to all victims was done using Snapchat." 

One of the victims also told detectives that Jason would offer "Clonazepam and marijuana quite frequently," as well as providing all the under-aged girls with alcohol. 

The girl also shared that Jason had a "marijuana growing facility in the closet of the master bedroom closet." By Dec. 20, a detective executed a search warrant of Jason's Bella Vista residence for electronics and any drug-related items. 

During a Child Advocacy Center interview, another girl spoke about Jason's growing operation in the home. She also said she had trouble remembering certain events that took place at the Worley household after he had given her clonazepam pills, according to the affidavit. 

The mother of the girl who first came forward about Jason's assault told police in February 2023 that she had found a video on her daughter's phone of her smoking from a bong with Jason and his wife, Jennifer, in the background. In the video, Jennifer is seen touching the girl inappropriately, the affidavit says. 

According to Jennifer's affidavit, the victims said she "did not actively supply them with the marijuana, but she did travel to Macadoodle's often to supply them with a variety of alcoholic beverages."

Jennifer is set to appear in court on May 16. 

Credit: Benton County Sheriff's Office
Jason Worley

    

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