Searcy County man gets 9 life sentences for rape of daughter

A Searcy County man has been sentenced to nine life sentences plus ten years for the rape of his daughter. Sixty-seven-year-old Stephen Phillip Treat of Leslie was sentenced by a Searcy County jury Wednesday following a three-day trial. He was found guilty on all nine counts of rape which resulted in the life sentences and the one count of incest he was charged with which netted the ten year sentence.

According to the original press release from Searcy County Sheriff Kenny Cassell in 2023, Treat was arrested after his daughter came forward and said she had been raped on multiple occasions by her father between the ages of 12 and 22.

In the probable cause affidavit from the Searcy County Sheriff’s Office, it was noted the victim submitted a journal with at least nine entries recording when her father raped her.

Treat was originally charged with 11 counts of rape and five counts of second degree sexual assault. On Monday, prior to the trial starting, the charges were amended to nine counts of rape and one count of incest.

The case was investigated by the Searcy County Sheriff’s Office and Arkansas State Police and prosecuted by 20th Judicial District Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chad Brown.

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