TEXARKANA, Arkansas -A man being held on rape charges involving a 4-year-old girl is now accused of rape and battery involving his cellmate at the Miller County jail.
Charles Steven Anderson, 62, was arrested on two counts of rape in March 2020 for alleged sexual misconduct with a 4-year-old girl. Since then, he's been held in the Miller County jail with bail set at $75,000.
Anderson now stands accused of attacking and sexually assaulting his cellmate April 17 in the jail. Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Connie Mitchell signed off this month on formal charges of rape and second-degree battery in that case.
A nurse and correctional officer were performing medication rounds at around 6:30 p.m. when they looked into cell 901 and noticed that Anderson's cellmate's feet were tied to his bunk, according to a probable cause affidavit. Once they entered the cell, jail staff observed that the inmate's mouth had been gagged with a piece of a sheet and "ropes" fashioned from a sheet had been used to tie the man to his bunk at his neck, waist and ankles.
The inmate's hands were bound behind his back, his feet were tied together and he was tied to the bunk face down. The inmate's pants and underwear were pulled down and a gray blanket was draped over his body.
Anderson and the other inmate were allegedly "locked in their assigned cell at the time of the incident."
Anderson's cellmate allegedly told investigators that he was in bed when Anderson "put his knee into his ribs."
"(The alleged victim) stated that he looked up briefly and saw inmate Anderson's fist coming toward his face," the affidavit states.
The inmate reported losing consciousness after being struck in the face and waking as officers removed pieces of a sheet from his feet, wrist, neck and out out of his mouth. Swelling was observed under the inmate's eye and he was later determined to have suffered rib fractures on his left side.
Anderson was moved to a holding cell and the other inmate was transported to a local hospital. An emergency room doctor reported to investigators that the inmate was sexually assaulted with "an object."
Anderson appeared April 22 before Circuit Judge Carlton Jones for an initial appearance on the rape and battery charges stemming from his alleged conduct at the jail. On Mitchell's recommendation, Jones set bond on the new case at $100,000.
A note penned by Jones on Anderson's initial appearance record states that Anderson is "likely in need of a forensic evaluation. Competency and criminal responsibility."
Texarkana lawyer John Pickett, who serves part-time as a public defender in Miller County, filed a motion last week in Anderson's case involving the 4-year-old requesting a court-ordered evaluation of Anderson's competency by a mental health professional.
Anderson is accused in the earlier case of molesting a 4-year-old relative in August 2019 while staying at her family's home in Texarkana, Arkansas. The child made an outcry of abuse in March 2020 and Anderson was jailed that month.
The girl allegedly described conduct by Anderson, whom she knows as "Uncle Speedy," which constitutes rape under Arkansas law.
Anderson is facing 25 to 99 years or life in prison on each of two counts of rape of a child under 14 if found guilty of sexually abusing the 4-year-old. If convicted of rape involving a fellow inmate, Anderson faces 10 to 40 years or life. If convicted of battery in that case, he faces up to six years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Anderson remains in the Miller County jail with bails totaling $175,000.