P.m. update:

Nathan Ford, 25, 175 Roden Mill Road in Conway, pleaded guilty Thursday to felony rape of a five-year-old female.

Ford was arrested on the charge July 7 of last year. According to court documents, the rape was committed July 6.

Felony information filed with Faulkner County Circuit Court states Ford knowingly engaged in ‘sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity’ with the victim on July 6.

La Tresha Woodruff, Conway Police Department information officer, said Ford had access to the victim when the victim’s mother left Ford, reportedly a friend of the family, to babysit the child and other children.

The CPD incident report shows the crime occurred at the mother’s home in Conway.

“The mother left, and when she came back the (five-year-old) described to her mom some sort of sexual encounter with Ford while he was babysitting her,” Woodruff said.

In the report, officers noted the victim in an interview told police Ford took her to a bathroom and forced her to perform oral sex. She also told police Ford asked her to sit on his lap.

Woodruff said the mother called police after her daughter described the events in detail, and when police questioned Ford, he confirmed the girl’s account.

Woodruff said someone who was not a police officer struck Ford in the face around the time of the incident, causing the injury that appears in his booking photo.

Ford was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday, according to 20th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland, with another 10 years suspended.

Hiland said a plea deal with 25 years was a desirable outcome.

“There are challenges related to prosecuting someone when the victim is so young. The victim’s age and her having to testify on the stand and face the man that attacked her was a factor in this plea,” Hiland said. “Family concerns about the victim facing the perpetrator is certainly something we are sensitive to, especially given the age of the child. We are very pleased with the sentence given the circumstances involved in this case.”

In an interview with investigators, Ford admitted he has inappropriate thoughts of touching young girls, and that “he needed help.”

Following Ford’s arrest, he admitted to touching two other young girls, including his daughter.

Ford alluded to a past instance with yet another young girl, according to the original report.

Hiland said prosecutors are still reviewing information related to one of the claims to determine if sufficient evidence exists to bring more charges.

“The investigation into (two of the claims) could not be corroborated with independent evidence to substantiate the claims,” he said.

A young child’s inability to communicate events in the absense of physical evidence is a factor, Hiland said.

At the time of Ford’s arrest, his address was listed as 10 Brock Lane, Vilonia.

His birthplace is listed as Dardanelle.

(Staff writer Courtney Spradlin can be reached by email at courtney.spradlin@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)

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Nathan Ford, 25, 175 Roden Mill Road in Conway, pleaded guilty Thursday to felony rape of a four-year-old female.

Ford was arrested on the charge July 7 of last year. According to court documents, the rape was committed July 6.

Felony information filed with Faulkner County Circuit Court states Ford knowingly engaged in 'sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity' with the victim on July 6.

La Tresha Woodruff, Conway Police Department information officer, said Ford had access to the victim when the victim's mother left Ford to babysit the child and other children.

"The mother left, and when she came back the four-year-old described to her mom some sort of sexual encounter with Ford while he was babysitting her," Woodruff said.

Woodruff said the mother called police, and when police questioned Ford, he confirmed the girl's account.

Woodruff said someone who was not a police officer struck Ford at the scene of the incident, causing the injury that appears in his booking photo.

Woodruff said Ford was a friend of the victim's mother.

Ford was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday, according to 20th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland, with another 10 years suspended.

At the time of Ford's arrest, his address was listed as 10 Brock Lane, Vilonia.

His birthplace is listed as Dardanelle.

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Nathan Ford, 25, 175 Roden Mill Road in Conway, pleaded guilty Thursday to felony rape of a four-year-old female.

Ford was arrested on the charge July 7 of last year. According to court documents, the rape was committed July 6.

Felony information filed with the court states Ford knowingly engaged in 'sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity' with the victim on July 6.

Ford was sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to 20th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland, with another 10 years suspended.

At the time of Ford's arrest, his address was listed as 10 Brook Lane, Vilonia.

Information pertaining to Ford's access to the victim and circumstances of the crime was not immediately available Friday morning. More information coming.