A 16-year-old Hot Springs youth was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly raping a local woman in her bed after punching and choking her.
Cory Terrance Gibson Jr., who lists a Brenda Street address, was taken into custody shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday and charged as an adult with felony counts of rape, punishable by up to life in prison, and aggravated assault, punishable by up to six years.
The charges were filed directly to Garland County Circuit Court, and Gibson was initially held on zero bond in the juvenile detention center. He appeared Thursday morning in circuit court before Judge John Homer Wright and pleaded not guilty to both counts, and Wright set his bond at $100,000.
The Sentinel-Record follows The Associated Press privacy policies and does not publish the names of juvenile offenders unless they are charged as adults.
According to court records, Wright issued an order barring Gibson from any contact with the victim. Wright also granted a prosecution request for a gag order in the case and for a request for DNA testing of Gibson. Deputy public defender Mark Fraiser appeared with Gibson at the hearing and indicated he planned to file a motion to try to have the case remanded to Garland County Juvenile Court. A motions hearing is set for Sept. 24.
According to the probable cause affidavit, at around 6 a.m. Tuesday Hot Springs police responded to a city residence in reference to a rape that had just occurred and made contact with a woman, 25, in front of the residence.
She stated a black male known to her as "Cory" had assaulted her and raped her in her bedroom. Officers noted she had bruises on her face, neck and arms consistent with her statement. She also had a lacerated bottom lip.
While talking to the victim, officers located a male, identified as Gibson, matching the description of her attacker at a nearby intersection and detained him. The woman reportedly identified him as the one who had attacked her.
Detective Jarret Cantrell responded to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs to interview the victim further. She stated she woke up in her bedroom with "Cory" standing next to her bed masturbating.
She said she attempted to confront him when he grabbed her by the throat and began punching her in the face. She said he told her, "You know you want it" during the assault. After punching her, she said he raped her.
She said the assault continued for approximately 30 minutes before he finally left the room and went upstairs.
Local on 08/03/2018