Rogers police officer pleads guilty to sexual indecency
BENTONVILLE – A former Rogers police officer faces up to six years in prison after pleading guilty Friday morning to committing a sexual-related offense against a 15-year-old girl.
Shane Aaron Knaust, 27, pleaded guilty to sexual indecency with a child, a class D felony punishable with up to six years in prison. He pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement, so his sentence will be in Circuit Judge David Clinger’s hands. Clinger ordered that a pre-sentencing investigation be completed by the Probation Office. Sentencing for Knaust is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. June 24.
Knaust was arrested Jan. 18, 2008.
According to an affidavit of probable cause in the case, Jeremy Felton, an investigator with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, learned of a possible sexual-abuse case involving a 15-year-old girl and Knaust. The girl had told a friend about being sexually abused by Knaust two or three years ago. The information was later reported to the Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, according to court documents.
The girl was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County. She said Knaust was good friends with her family, and Knaust had kissed her and tried to lift up her shirt, according to the affidavit.
The girl’s mother said that one morning she found a note under the girl’s pillow, according to court documents. The girl claimed in the note that Knaust was kissing her and she did not like it, the affidavit states. The girl’s father and the pastor of their church met with Knaust and confronted him about the note. They told Knaust he could not speak to the girl anymore, and he would no longer be allowed around other youth at the church, court documents state.
When questioned by Felton, Knaust admitted to kissing the girl and touching her on the outside of her clothes, according to court documents.
Knaust will remain free on a $5,000 bond.
Knaust was hired as a dispatcher on Sept. 11, 2002, and he became a police officer on Nov. 14, 2005. He resigned his position after his arrest.
Too bad,career ruined as well as prison on his head. Trouble with a lot of these stories are that because the girl was under age. But, just how of these girls already had sex before even turning fifteen, fourteen, thirteen and even younger? Since I have son’s as well as grand son’s, I assure you that it is not always the guy’s fault. In fact my one fourteen year old son, had sex with a twenty-five year old woman. Was I pissed, better believe it. Did I do anything. Sure did, and found out that this woman was a daughter of a police officer. What happened then is a long story. Women get away or is that girls get away with sexual assualts on younger boys far more than guys do. This should bring some people’s brains into gear.Hopefully thinking about there daughters as well as there son’s and knowing who there running with. Just as much my fault, since I worked as much as I could. Never there when I guess I should have been. My personal take on this,and I don’t know the officer in question, as I go after all BAD COPS, no matter what. But, this officer and girl were companion ship or going together,not as if a sexual non consent from one or the other. News is made to sell papers as they say. Think about it is all I will say! Read between the lines!