A Benton, Arkansas, man will be added to the sex offender registry after pleading no contest this week to charges of misdemeanor sexual assault.

Aaron Church, 27, entered the plea in Clark County Circuit Court. Presiding over the case was 9E Circuit Judge Blake Batson, with Gina White prosecuting the case and Church’s representation being Clinton DeWitt of the public defender’s office.

Church was originally charged in September 2022 for second-degree sexual assault, a Class B felony. Prior to the plea the charge was amended to fourth-degree sexual assault, a Class A misdemeanor.

Church was 26 at the time of the incident and lists a Benton address. The charges stemmed from allegations from a pubescent female who reported that Church made unwelcome advances and ultimately sexually assaulted her while swimming at a family outing at DeGray Lake in 2020.

The charges against Church were filed following an investigation by Sgt. Sherry Cleek of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Under the terms of his plea, Church was sentenced to 12 months of supervised probation and will be required to register as a sex offender. He was also fined $2,190 and ordered to complete 150 hours of community service, among other mandatory obligations related to probation.