Suspect held in sexual assault at Arkansas insurance firm

Cullen
Cullen

HOT SPRINGS -- A reportedly homeless man was arrested on felony warrants Friday stemming from allegations he sexually assaulted an employee of a local insurance agency and threatened another employee with a handgun earlier this month.

John Patrick Cullen, 47, who lists no permanent address, was taken into custody around 3 p.m. Friday and charged with felony counts of second-degree sexual assault, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and aggravated assault, punishable by up to six years, and misdemeanor counts of harassment and criminal trespass.

Cullen remained in custody Monday in lieu of bonds totaling $9,500 and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court for a plea and arraignment hearing.

According to the probable-cause affidavits, on Feb. 12, Hot Springs police responded to the offices of Allstate Insurance, 306 W. St. Louis St., regarding two assaults on female employees by a known person, identified as Cullen, one that occurred that day and another that occurred on Feb. 9.

One victim told police she and other employees have interacted with Cullen before when he would come into their office asking for water or to use the restroom. She said on Feb. 9, Cullen came in and asked for a bottle of water.

She said she agreed to give him one and led him back to the refrigerator in the office kitchen. Once there, she alleges, Cullen suddenly grabbed her from behind and forcefully groped her breast. She said he told her, "I'm going to have you" as he grabbed her.

She said she turned around and pushed him away and demanded he leave. He reportedly walked into one of the restrooms and locked himself inside. She said she continued to yell for him to get out of the business while another employee called police. She said Cullen finally came out and ran out of the building before officers arrived.

The second victim told police she was sitting in her car in the lot on Feb. 12 smoking a cigarette with the window rolled down when she suddenly felt someone grab her arm. She said she looked up and saw it was Cullen.

She said she immediately became fearful and Cullen told her he remembered her license plate and said, "I'm going to have you." As he grabbed her arm with one hand, he reached into his pants pocket with the other and pulled out a small, black handgun, she told police.

She said that although he didn't point the gun at her, she still feared for her life. She said he suddenly let go of her arm and rode his bicycle away from the area toward another business.

Cullen had previously pleaded no contest on Feb. 8, 2016, to a misdemeanor count of indecent exposure and has had multiple arrests over the last few years for public intoxication, criminal trespass and theft of property.

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Metro on 02/20/2018

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