Joseph Nicholas Desparrois

     A Gassville area man has been arrested on a felony sexual assault charge against an 8 year old child.  On March 26, 2019, the child’s mother reported to the Sheriff’s Office that her daughter told her that 38 year old JOSEPH NICHOLAS DESPARROIS had touched her inappropriately.  The mother further stated that the family had been on the “Steve Wilkos” show back in January, 2019 in regards to this situation.

     Upon receiving the complaint, the matter was submitted to the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline, and the case was accepted for investigation.  The child was later interviewed by a certified child forensic interviewer using the Child-First interview protocol.  The child described certain sexual acts that DESPARROIS had perpetrated on her.

     A Sheriff’s Investigator interviewed the child’s mother.  The mother provided an audio recording of her speaking with DESPARROIS about the incident.  DESPARROIS can be heard admitting that he inappropriately touched the child.  The child’s grandmother was also interviewed by an Investigator.  The grandmother stated that DESPARROIS had telephoned her a couple of months ago and asked that the matter not be reported to authorities so that he would not be sent to prison. 

     This evidence was presented to the Prosecuting Attorney who filed a charge of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, which is a Class B Felony, against JOSEPH NICHOLAS DESPARROIS.  He was located and taken into custody this afternoon.  DESPARROIS was booked into the Baxter County Detention Center on the charge and is being held in lieu of $35,000 bond.  He will appear before the Baxter County Circuit Court later this month to answer the charge.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff