Matar guilty of rape, not guilty of sexual assault

Sentenced to 35 years

NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputies bring Ali Matar, left, to jury selection Tuesday for his trial in Bentonville.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputies bring Ali Matar, left, to jury selection Tuesday for his trial in Bentonville.

A jury Friday found a former Bentonville School District employee guilty of rape and not guilty on two counts of sexual assault.

Ali Matar, 22, of Lowell was sentenced to 35 years.

He was charged with rape, a Class Y felony, and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree, a Class B felony.

He worked for the Bentonville School District as a leader for Adventure Club at R.E. Baker Elementary School. He's accused of sexually abusing three of his former students. One girl was 5 years old and the other two were 6 years old when Matar was arrested in May.

The rape charge concerns the then 5-year-old. The sexual assault charges concern the two older girls.

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