BENTONVILLE, Ark. — A former Bentonville Schools theater director accused of sexually assaulting a student pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on May 20, according to Benton County Prosecutor Josh Robinson.
Micah Whitfield was arrested by the Bentonville Police Department (BPD) on Jan. 29 after an investigation into alleged inappropriate behavior with a student.
According to Bentonville Schools Director of Communications Leslee Wright, Whitfield, who was working as the technical director of the Arend Arts Center (AAC), was fired from his position with the district after his arrest.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Bentonville High School's Student Resource Officer John Loncarevic received a phone call from a student on Jan. 27, who wanted to report a sexual assault. The student was interviewed by BPD the following day where she told officers she was sexually assaulted by Whitfield.
Court documents say the student told officers she had several encounters that were "sexual in nature" with Whitfield during the school year.
She told police Whitfield would send "text messages requesting for her to meet in 'the shop' of the AAC," while no other students were around.
According to the affidavit, she told police Whitfield's behavior became more direct as the school year continued. He allegedly told the student that he loved her and planned to follow her when she decided to attend college after high school.
She told police his behavior made her "extremely nervous and scared of what he could do," the documents say.
Following BPD's questioning, law enforcement notified the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline about the investigation.
On Monday, Jan. 29, a forensic interviewer spoke with the student and she provided the same statement as she did with the police department. Court documents said she also shared other instances where Whitfield kissed and touched her inappropriately at the school.
On that same day, BPD officers went to the high school to speak with Whitfield where he "admitted to being in a position of authority over [the student] in the theater program," the affidavit says.
Court documents say Whitfield also admitted to asking the student to send photos of herself to him. He also admitted to grabbing and kissing her "in over half a dozen incidences."
Whitfield was put under a no-contact order with the student until the final disposition.
He is set to appear in court on June 17 for an omnibus hearing.
January report:
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