Texarkana man, 74, pleads not guilty to seven counts of rape

Sponsor

A 74-year-old Texarkana, Ark., man entered pleas of not guilty to seven counts of rape Tuesday in Miller County circuit court.

William Troy Sisco is accused of repeatedly abusing a female relative during her childhood. The woman, now 25 and living in Oregon, reported the alleged sexual abuse to Texarkana, Ark., police in 2017. The woman said she and her brother often spent time with Sisco while her mother, who is related to Sisco, was sick, hospitalized and dying of cancer, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The woman told Texarkana, Ark., police investigators that she decided to come forward after two years in counseling. The woman alleges Sisco molested her from the time she was 6 until she was 18 with the last incident occurring shortly after her mother died in April 2010.

According to the affidavit, the woman was able to describe specific instances of sexual abuse by Sisco which occurred at his home in the 700 block of Fairview Street in Texarkana, Ark., at her mother’s former home on Christy Circle in Texarkana, Ark., an unknown wooded area toward Hope, Ark., on land belonging to East Memorial Gardens in Texarkana, Ark., and at Lake Wright Patman in Texarkana, Texas.

The affidavit alleges the woman was picked up from school by Sisco when she was 13 and driven to her mother’s Christy Circle home.

“Once there, Sisco used physical violence and threat of death to the victim to force her to perform oral sex on him,” the affidavit states. “(The alleged victim) said as this was occurring her brother walked in the bedroom. Sisco then threatened death to (the brother) should he report this to anyone after slamming his head through the wall.”

Detectives made contact with the woman’s brother earlier this month and he allegedly confirmed his sister’s account. The affidavit lists at least seven incidents of forcible sexual misconduct by Sisco which allegedly occurred in Texarkana, Ark. Sisco allegedly coerced the woman into sex by threatening to harm her mother and brother and by threatening her at knife point.

According to Miller County court records, Sisco was arrested on seven counts of rape Dec. 4 by Texarkana, Ark., police. He was released from jail Dec. 6 after posting a $100,000 bond. Sisco is ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.

Sisco was scheduled to appear before Circuit Judge Kirk Johnson for arraignment on the charges Tuesday. Texarkana attorney Josh Potter entered pleas of not guilty on Sisco’s behalf. The case is scheduled for a pretrial hearing next month.

Sisco faces 10 to 40 years or life on each of the seven counts of rape if convicted.

Previous articleHooks under water boil advisory
Next articleTexas High School Culinary Arts and Commercial Baking Students Advance in the SkillsUSA Texas State Leadership & Skills Competition