Officer Knaust Charged: Sexual Indecency with A Child
Sexual indecency with a child occurs when a person 18 years of age or older solicits a person who is less than 15 years old to engage in sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity or sexual contact. Sexual indecency with a child is a Class D felony and is punishable up to six years in prison.
Source: Arkansas Code 5-14-110
BENTONVILLE - A Rogers police officer was arrested Friday concerning allegations of inappropriately touching a child.
Shane Aaron Knaust, 26, was arrested on a charge of sexual indecency with a child, a class D felony, which is punishable with up to six years in prison.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, 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 one of her friends about being sexually abused by Knaust about two or three years ago and the information was later reported to the Benton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, according to court documents.
Knaust resigned from the department Saturday morning, according to Rogers Police Chief Steve Helms.
"We are still in a state of shock," Helms said. "We are just maintaining and moving forward with our jobs."
Helms described Knaust as a good and well-respected officer.
"He (Knaust ) was well liked among his peers and supervisors," Helms said. "It's very surprising. We didn't see it coming."
The girl was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County. She said that Knaust was good friends with her family and that Knaust had kissed her with his tongue and tried to lift up her shirt, according to the affidavit. The girl said Knaust made her kiss him a few different times and one time placed her hand on the area of his groin, according to court documents.
The girl's mother said one morning she found a note under her 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 that he could not speak to the girl anymore and that he was no longer able to be around the other youth at the church, according to court documents.
On Friday, Felton questioned Knaust, who told the investigator he thought the girl was attractive for her age and he developed a relationship with her, according to court documents. Knaust admitted to kissing the girl and touching her on the outsides of the clothes, according to court documents.
Knaust was being held Saturday in the Benton County Jail in lieu of $ 5, 000 bond. As a condition of his bond, Knaust can not have any contact with the girl or her family members.
His arraignment is scheduled for 8: 30 a.m. Feb. 25 in Circuit Judge David Clinger's court.
Knaust was hired as a dispatcher on Sept. 11, 2002, and he became a police officer on Nov. 14, 2005.
