Man Gets Jail, Probation in Sexual Assault Case Involving Minor

JONESBORO, Ark. — A West Helena man who sexually assaulted a 13-year-old child in Jonesboro entered a guilty plea this week and was sentenced to jail and probation, in a case where prosecutors weren’t entirely pleased with the outcome.

Houston Alfred Stackhouse, 46, of West Helena, pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault on Sept. 9 in Craighead County Circuit Court. Circuit Judge Randy Philhours followed the recommendation of the prosecution and sentenced him to 120 days in jail, with credit of 66 days for time served, and 120 months probation. Anytime in the ten years that he violates the probation, prosecutors can seek a full range of punishment that could include up to 20 years imprisonment.

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As part of the plea, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will not be able to reside in a house with children. That was the most important factor in the plea to the victim, according to Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jessica Thomason..

“While plea agreements may not always deliver the ideal sense of justice, they offer a vital guarantee—a conviction without the unpredictability of a trial,” Thomason said. “One of the most important benefits is that an innocent victim is spared the emotional toll of having to testify, which could force them to relive traumatic experiences.

“This resolution helps protect victims from being re-traumatized while still ensuring accountability. Though the result may not always feel fully satisfying, it strikes a balance between securing justice and protecting the well-being of those impacted.”

The probable cause affidavit describes the graphic crime in more detail than we will be reporting. However, it states that on November 13, 2021, JPD officers went to a residence about a rape that had occurred in 2017 to a victim who was 13 years old at the time of the crime.

The victim told investigators she was living with her mother and mother’s boyfriend, Stackhouse, at the time. On multiple occasions, the victim said she woke up to Stackhouse standing in her room, proceeding to rape her thereafter. The child attempted to get away but he forced himself on her. The victim said Stackhouse had attempted to apologize through a message.

The victim was able to accurately describe the body of the assailant in a way that confirmed to authorities inappropriate contact.

In text messages, the mother told Stackhouse he took her daughter’s innocence and she hated him for it. He apologized and said he should have never done it. The PC affidavit also said he felt “bad for himself.”

In addition to the other conditions of his probation, Stackhouse was given a lifetime no-contact order involving the victim of the case.