A jury was selected Monday to decide the fate of a 19-year-old Texarkana man accused of sexual misconduct with young boys.
Juan Perez faces 25 to 40 years or life in prison if convicted of preying on 8 and 10-year-old boys he met in his neighborhood. Perez is charged with six counts of rape.
Perez is accused of repeatedly forcing himself on one of the boys during 2012 and 2013. The boy told investigators Perez threatened to harm him if he told anyone. The other boy told investigators Perez assaulted him in March 2014. Both boys provided similar details in their descriptions of the assaults.
Texarkana lawyer John Stroud is representing Perez. Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Black and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Connie Mitchell are prosecuting.
The trial is expected to last a couple of days.
