A man charged with two counts of sexual indecency with a child appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday and asked that his bond be lowered.
It is alleged that 67-year-old Richard Peter (Rick) Lepage committed sexual acts with twin sisters beginning when they were five-to-six years old.
Lepage, who pled not guilty to the charges Mar. 21, asked Circuit Judge John Putman to lower his $10,000 bond, but the judge said no. He ordered Lepage to reappear Apr. 18.
Investigators said the victims are now 13-years-old.
INCIDENTS BEGAN IN 2017
The incidents took place in a year long period beginning in July 2017 and ending in July 2018.
According to the probable cause affidavit, after the death of the girls’ mother, they moved into their grandmother’s residence in Baxter County.
At the time, Lepage was identified as the grandmother’s “boyfriend.”
They are said to have visited the grandmother’s house on weekends even before their mother’s death
The girls told investigators Lepage started touching them inappropriately when they were only five or six years old.
According to investigators, the victims said Lepage would touch them while they were in bed at night.
They reported telling their grandmother what was happening at one point, but she “did not believe them.”
The investigation was launched recently when a therapist at a residential mental health treatment facility in Central Arkansas called the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline.
One of the victims was a resident at the treatment facility at the time.
Investigators talked to both girls and another interview was conducted at Grandma’s House Children’s Advocacy Center in Mountain Home.
One victim said she remembered waking up one night and finding a naked Lepage lying on top of her. The victim said when Lepage realized she was not asleep he quickly left the house.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Lepage was interviewed at a residence in Pyatt. He denied touching the sisters.
He told investigators he thought he had made amends to the victims by apologizing to their grandmother.
Lepage agreed to come to the Criminal Investigation Division offices at the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office for a formal interview on Feb. 22.
He is reported to have made the appointment, but immediately invoked his right to have an attorney present.
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