Assault suspect charged with bribery of a witness

GREEN FOREST ---- Jerrell Maybee, the 62-year-old Denver area man who was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault for alleged sex with female minors, is now facing an additional charge of witness bribery.

Green Forest police say Maybee paid a woman he raped more than 30 years ago $4,000 not to testify in his upcoming case.

"He paid her $4,000 by check to keep quiet and not testify," Sgt. Brad Handley reported. "She turned the check over to me."

As a result, Maybee was charged with witness bribery, a Class C felony.

He was arrested on alleged rape charges last month and released on a $50,000 bond. Later, he was formally charged with two counts of second degree sexual assault, a Class B felony, when arraigned in Carroll County Circuit Court.

Maybee's arrest was the result of an investigation initiated by the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children division that had received a tip on its telephone hot line.

The investigation center around allegations that Maybee had sexual contact with more than one female minor.