Missouri man sentenced in Bentonville to 50 years in prison for sexually abusing two boys

NWA Democrat-Gazette/TRACY M. NEAL Ronald Lewis, 67, of Pineville, Mo., is escorted Wednesday by a Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy after being sentenced in Bentonville to 50 years in prison. A jury found him guilty of rape and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree involving two boys.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/TRACY M. NEAL Ronald Lewis, 67, of Pineville, Mo., is escorted Wednesday by a Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy after being sentenced in Bentonville to 50 years in prison. A jury found him guilty of rape and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree involving two boys.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- A Missouri man criticized the jury Wednesday after he was sentenced to 50 years in prison for sex crimes involving two boys.

Ronald Lewis, 67, of Pineville, Mo., was found guilty of rape and two counts of second-degree sexual assault. He was arrested Sept. 1.

About the case

Ronald Lewis, 67, of Pineville, Mo., faced from 25 to 40 years in prison or life imprisonment for the rape conviction and five to 20 years in prison for each of the sexual assault convictions.

Source: Staff report

The jury deliberated for more than two hours before returning with the verdicts. Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren first read a verdict form the jury mistakenly filled out finding Lewis not guilty of rape. Karren then read the correct form.

Kevin Lammers, one of Lewis' attorneys, placed his hand on Lewis' shoulder as Karren read the guilty verdicts.

The jury later recommended Lewis serve 40 years in prison for rape and five years for each of the sexual assault convictions. The jury recommended the sentences be served consecutively -- a total of 50 years.

Lewis showed no reaction to the guilty verdicts, but his demeanor changed when Karren gave him an opportunity to address the court before sentencing.

Lewis claimed he couldn't call some witnesses who could have helped his case.

Lewis then started to talk to the family of one of the boys.

"You guys have been my best of friends," Lewis said before Carly Marshall, deputy prosecutor, interrupted him.

Lewis then turned his attention to the jury. He questioned how they made the mistake on the verdict form. He also questioned how they could believe the prosecutors' case.

"I don't understand what she had," Lewis said of Marshall.

Marshall questioned Lewis at trial about hundreds of photographs he had of one of the boys on his cellphone. Lewis told jurors the photographs were "pictures that any grandfather would have."

Lewis isn't the boy's grandfather, but said he thought of the boy as a grandson.

During the trial, he denied he sexually abused the boys, although he admitted to rubbing both boys on their backs. Both boys told jurors about the abuse.

"This is not one boy, but two boys whose lives are forever changed for what Ronald Lewis did to them," Marshall told jurors in her closing statements for the sentencing phase.

Jonathan Faught, Lewis' other attorney, urged jurors not to impose a life sentence. Fought said the minimum sentence for the rape is 25 years, and Lewis wouldn't be eligible for parole until he is 85. Faught asked jurors to recommend a 25-year sentence.

"That means in this case the minimum sentence could mean life," he said.

Lewis, who must register as a sex offender, was handcuffed and taken out of the courtroom.

"Thank you, guys," Lewis said as he passed the jury. "You did the best you could. No hard feelings."

General News on 06/01/2017