Former Church Pastor Accused of Sexual Assault

Arkansas Matters
March 14, 2013

http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext?nxd_id=645292


The former pastor of a local church is in Benton County Jail accused of multiple counts of sexual assault, some of which may have occurred at the church.

42-year-old Hank D. Guilliams faces four counts of First-Degree Sexual Assault.

According to a probable cause report, Siloam Springs Police were contacted by the State Police Crimes Against Children Division in reference to sexual assaults that Guilliams spoke of as he was receiving treatment in a sex rehabilitation facility in Tennessee.

Investigators told Siloam Springs Detectives that Guilliams admitted to sexual assaults that occurred at Eastgate Church of Christ in Siloam Springs, where he was a pastor approximately two years earlier.

The document states that police later discovered sexual assaults had also happened at Guilliams' home.

The ASP Crimes Against Children report says Guilliams admitted during his therapy to inappropriately touching a 16-year-old girl at the church. The report also states there may be additional victims.

Police interviewed the alleged victim who confirmed two incidents of abuse by Guilliams. According to the probable cause report, the victim told police that Guilliams' wife "told the young girls in the church not to dress provocatively to prevent Doug Guilliams from lusting after them."

On March 4, police interviewed another alleged victim, now seventeen years old.

According to court documents, the second victim reported to police similar abuse at the hands of Guilliams on two separate occasions. She also confirmed the first victim's claims of the warnings from Guilliam's wife.

Guilliams was booked into Benton County Jail Monday on four counts of felony, first-degree sexual assault.

His bond has been set at $35,000.