PARAGOULD, Ark. – A 44-year-old man, Mario Terrell Brown, has been sentenced to 60 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to multiple charges of sex trafficking and rape involving a 14-year-old girl, prosecutors announced this week.
According to Second Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Sonia F. Hagood, Brown also pleaded guilty to federal drug charges in a separate case, where he is awaiting sentencing. His federal sentence will run consecutively to his state convictions—amounting to what prosecutors are calling an effective life sentence.
Brown, along with co-defendant Allen Oliver, was accused of repeatedly raping and sex trafficking the minor victim, all while engaging in illegal drug trafficking, according to court documents.
The victim, now 14, bravely disclosed the abuse, testified earlier this year in court, and was prepared to testify again before Brown accepted a plea agreement.
“The victim in this case showed extraordinary courage,” said Prosecutor Hagood. “At only 14 years old, she not only came forward to stop the abuse, but also testified in open court. Her strength directly led to the sentences Mr. Brown received.”
On August 20, Circuit Judge Randy Philhours imposed 30 years for sex trafficking and rape. Earlier this year, Judge Pam Honeycutt also sentenced Brown to another 30 years after revoking a suspended sentence from a 2021 firearms and assault conviction.
Deputy Prosecutor Adam Butler emphasized the key role the victim played in holding Brown accountable.
“That testimony, and the fact that she stood ready to face him again, was critical,” Butler said. “Her courage made this outcome possible.”
The case against co-defendant Allen Oliver remains pending, and prosecutors have declined to comment further due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
Law enforcement agencies, including Sgt. Bill Brown of the Jonesboro Police Department, were praised for their role in bringing the case forward.
