BENTONVILLE — A jury of eight women and four men Friday convicted 66-year-old James Avery "Arley" Holliday of rape and sexual assault.
The Bentonville resident was sentenced to 60 years in prison, 40 years for raping a minor who was 6 or 7 at the time and 20 years for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl last year in the Harps Food Store.
Benton County Circuit Court Judge Robin Green presided over the two-day trial and said the sentences will run consecutively.
Holliday confirmed in court he told police that he touched the 11-year-old in a way a man shouldn't touch a girl. However, he told the jury that he thought his behavior was appropriate.
The Benton County Circuit Court jury watched surveillance footage in which Holliday in July appeared to be touching or patting the girl's buttocks while they were at a vending machine at a Harps Food Store in Bentonville. The store manager called police.
Holliday said the girl asked for change to use in the vending machine and he thought she had change in her back pocket.
Although Holliday said he considered his action appropriate, he said, "Yes, but if I had to do it over again I would ask her for money and go about her business."
The jury began deliberating after testimony ended Friday morning on the sexual assault charge and a separate charge of felony rape of another minor girl.
The rape victim testified Thursday that Holliday had inappropriate sexual contact with her in November 2007 and had sexual intercourse with her once.
Holliday must serve 42 years, or 70 percent of his sentences, before being eligible for parole.
