In yet another stellar example of our befuddling criminal justice system, a Fort Smith man was sentenced to six years of probation Wednesday morning on one count of sexual indecency with a child that occurred in 2019.
Twenty-one-year-old year-old Lucas A. Beam, who's current address is in the 4800 block of Rogers Avenue, has served a total of two days in the jail after a delayed arrest in the case. Apparently, charges in the case were not filed until June 30, 2021 and on that date, the case was listed as inactive.
The case was recently reactivated. Beam was initially arrested on September 10, 2022 and charged with one count of the Class D felony. He posted a $2,500 bond and was released after less than 48 hours in jail.
In the plea agreement on Wednesday, making an appearance in Sebastian County Circuit Court along with deputy public defender Christina Scherry, Beam pled guilty as charged. Imposition of sentence was suspended for six years and he was given jail time credit for the two days he spent in jail.
Beam will be required to register as a sex offender and pay the mandatory sex offender registration fee. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim in the future.
The range of penalties available to the court for a class d felony in Arkansas is up to six years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
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