An Izard County man who admitted to sexually assaulting a child and engaging in grooming behavior was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison.
Gerald Lawrence Villneff Jr., 42, of Oxford, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of sexually grooming a child, according to court records.
Investigators said Villneff told the child he had a “crush” on them and gave them a homemade sex toy resembling a cartoon character. The Izard County Sheriff’s Office began investigating in February after a report to the Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline alleged repeated assaults.
Deputies arrested Villneff on March 6 after the victim and witnesses provided corroborating statements. He will serve his sentence in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Image: Izard County Sheriff’s Office
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