BENTONVILLE (KFSM) — A Rogers man accused of molesting three children at a Bentonville daycare had been fired or quit over similar allegations at schools in Missouri and Kansas, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Nathan Jack Clemons, 24, was arrested Thursday (Aug. 23) in connection with second-degree sexual assault — a Class B felony.
It was Clemon’s third arrest stemming from allegations that he molested three boys at Mary’s Little Lambs Preschool on Moberly Lane.
While investigating the allegations from the daycare, Bentonville police discovered Clemons was accused of sending sexual messages to teenage boys in 2013 and 2014 while he was working at the Webb City School District in Webb City, Mo.
According to the affidavit, Clemons left Webb City in September 2014 and took a job as a counselor at a boy’s ranch in Jasper County, Mo.
Clemons faced similar allegations of improper contact with the boys, who ranged from 10 to 18 years old and were at the ranch because of emotional and behavioral problems, according to the affidavit.
In February 2016, Clemons took a job at a school district in Galena, Kan., where he was accused of forming a relationship with a 6-year-old boy and taking a picture of a child and sending it to a friend with a lewd comment attached.
Police later learned that Clemons had spoken to a friend about his attraction to children, saying he molested three minors — including a 4-month-old — while living near Joplin, Mo.
The friend said Clemons also mentioned his abusive nature is triggered around children because he was molested as a child.
Clemons was never arrested for the alleged incidents in Missouri.
Clemons reportedly told his friend that he moved to Northwest Arkansas because he was “afraid to get caught,” according to the affidavit.
Mary’s Little Lambs Preschool fired Clemons within 24 hours of a parent notifying staff of the initial abuse allegation.
The boy told his father that Clemons massaged him during a movie, according to an arrest report. Another boy later came forward and said Clemons also massaged him.
Police later interviewed Clemons at his home on North 30th Street, where he said he did massage the child’s legs because the boy complained they were cold, according to the affidavit.
However, Clemons denied that he touched the child inappropriately.
Clemons told investigators he had planned to take another job working with children at a Rogers school.
A spokeswoman for Rogers Public Schools later confirmed Clemons applied for a position, but the process wasn’t finalized.
Clemons was being held Friday (Aug. 24) at the Benton County Jail on a $300,000 bond. He has a hearing set for Sept. 12 in Benton County Circuit Court.
In Arkansas, Class B felonies are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000.
Anyone with information on any of the cases is asked to call the police department at 479-271-3170.
