Paragould, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – A Paragould man is behind bars after police said he sexually assaulted juveniles at a park and was subsequently struck by his victims in self-defense.

Robert Gatewood, 57, was arrested and booked into the Greene County Detention Center at 6:03 p.m. Aug. 29, the inmate roster shows.

According to the probable cause affidavit, earlier in the day, Paragould police officers responded to a call regarding Gatewood being assaulted by a juvenile at Labor Park.

During the investigation, officers were able to detain and talk to the juveniles accused of assaulting Gatewood. They admitted to striking him but only in self-defense because of unwanted and forced sexual contact, as well as sexual statements made by Gatewood toward the juveniles.

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Officers obtained camera footage of the incident. The affidavit said the footage showed the juveniles and Gatewood walking into the park gym and approach the sign-in sheet. That’s when Gatewood grabbed one of the juveniles by the hips, pulled them close and used both hands to grab the juvenile in a manner that authorities said constituted second-degree sexual assault.

Another video clip showed the same juveniles and Gatewood outside of the building at a park bench. Police said Gatewood could be seen reaching across the table and touching one of the juveniles before said juvenile strikes Gatewood shortly before leaving.

The victims were interviewed by Lesley Faulkner, an investigator for the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division. Based on the results of the interviews, Faulkner advised that the assaults did occur.

The affidavit said a mirandized interview with Gatewood occurred. In it, he admitted to investigators to grabbing one of the juveniles in a manner that constituted second-degree sexual assault but was said to be more concerned with being struck in the head by one of the juveniles.

District Court Judge Curtis Hitt found probable Aug. 29 to charge Gatewood with two counts of second-degree sexual assault. He is being held on a $100,000 cash/surety bond.

As a condition of the bond, Gatewood will have to wear a GPS ankle monitor upon release. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victims in the case.

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