ALMA, Ark. — A "serial rapist" from Oklahoma has been convicted and sentenced to 80 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections, according to prosecutors.
Billy Lemon, 36, of Muldrow, was sentenced to 40 years on a charge of rape and 20 years each on two charges of second-degree sexual assault.
Crawford County Prosecutor Kevin Holmes said on social media that the case was investigated by the Alma Police Department. Court filings say that an arrest warrant was issued in September 2022 and served in August 2023.
Lemon pleaded not guilty in August 2023 and the guilty verdict was reached by a jury in May 2024.
Court documents say that between November 2014 and July 2021, Lemon "engaged in multiple acts constituting sexual contact" with a minor.
The victim told interviewers in 2021 that when she was eight years old, she was with Lemon in his car at an Alma car wash when he started touching her inappropriately. Despite telling him to stop multiple times, he continued, claiming that it was her fault, an affidavit said.
The victim advised that there were other incidents between herself and Lemon that occurred after the car wash incident. In each she was younger than 14 years old. During the investigation, another minor came forward and disclosed multiple incidents of sexual contact involving Lemon, according to court documents.
"Six brave victims testified about the horrible things that 'Uncle Billy' did to them — three of the incidents happening in Crawford County," Holmes said, adding that Lemon "destroyed countless lives with the abuse."
The Alma Police Department took to social media to express relief after the verdict was reached.
"We here at the Alma Arkansas Police Department are extremely proud of the victims and their families in this case that bravely faced their abuser and told their stories," a post said. "The City of Alma and Crawford County are a safer place tonight."
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