Bentonville man arrested nearly 10 years after allegedly sexually assaulting minor

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Bentonville man currently on probation for sexual assault has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor he was babysitting nearly a decade ago, according to court documents.

Justin John Sellers, 33, was arrested on November 5 on two counts of second-degree sexual assault and two counts of sexual indecency with a child.

A probable cause affidavit said on Oct. 18, Benton County Sheriff's Office detectives received a report from the Arkansas State Child Abuse Hotline that Sellers met with his probation officer and reportedly admitted to sexually assaulting a five-year-old.

Sellers said around 10 years ago he agreed to babysit his neighbor's child. During that time, Sellers allegedly sexually assaulted the child, according to the affidavit.

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The child, now 15 years old, went with a parent to the Child and Family Advocacy Center to discuss the alleged incidents. They recalled two times when Sellers allegedly touched her inappropriately, both while he was babysitting her.

Sellers reportedly agreed to talk to investigators initially but eventually stopped returning their phone calls, the affidavit said.

Sellers told his probation officer that he has had six previous victims but two have not been identified by authorities.

His criminal history includes a third-degree domestic battery arrest from 2019 and a 2022 second-degree sexual assault conviction. He is currently on probation for the 2022 conviction.

Sellers also had two DWI arrests.

He is being held in the Benton County Detention Center on a $650,000 bond and has a Dec. 16 court date.