Photo: Matthew Mears
A 19-year-old man accused of having inappropriate sexual relations with a juvenile female appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday and entered a plea of not guilty to his charges.
Matthew Mears is charged with sexual indecency with a child and second-degree sexual assault.
In late March, a woman came to the Gassville Police Department with Mears. He is reported to have confessed to having inappropriate sexual contact with the juvenile.
During the investigation, Mears gave two statements in which he is said to have provided graphic details as to what occurred.
He had originally confessed the sexual contact took place on only two occasions. He later revised the count to 10-to-12-times.
The juvenile female was reported to have been 12 years old when the first encounter took place, and the activity continued after she had turned 13.
Mears is reported to have been removed from the Gassville residence where the sexual activity is alleged to have occurred.
He is an inmate in the Baxter County Detention Center, with bond set at $10,000.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI