Officials announced Tuesday that a former Arkansas local district court judge was convicted of making false statements to the FBI.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thomas David Carruth, 64, of Clarendon, Arkansas, served as an elected Monroe County district court judge overseeing criminal and civil cases.
In April 2022, Carruth solicited sex from the girlfriend of a defendant in a criminal case pending before him.
When questioned by the FBI, Carruth lied to agents, denying that he had ever “requested,” “asked,” “offered,” made “overtures about,” “insinuated,” or even “[thought] about” sex with the woman.
Last week, the jury convicted Carruth of one count of making false statements. He was acquitted of charges of bribery, honest services fraud, and violations of the Travel Act.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date, where Carruth faces up to five years in prison.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Nicholas Cannon and Madison Mumma of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.