From the Marion County Sheriff:
On June 27, 2025, Deputies with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a verbal disturbance in Marion County, Arkansas. Upon arrival, Deputies met with a 15-year-old girl walking down a county road, who told deputies that she could not take living at her house anymore and said that for the past four years, her mother’s boyfriend had been raping and sexually assaulting her.
The Deputies contacted their Criminal Investigations Division and Investigators took over the case. The victim was taken to Grandma’s House, A Child Advocacy Center, where she was able to tell investigators everything that had happened.
In a subsequent interview with the Investigators Heinen admitted to having sexual contact with the victim at least forty-eight (48) times over the prior year. The case was presented to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for the 14th Judicial District and formal charges were filed in Marion County Circuit Court Case No. 45CR-25-88, State of Arkansas vs. Rickie Heinen.
After a two-day jury trial that began yesterday, May 6, 2026, and ended today, May 7, 2026, a Marion County Jury found the Defendant, Rickie Ed Heinen, Age 52, of Marion County, guilty of two counts of Rape, and 48 counts of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree. The jury recommended a sentence of forty (40) years on each count of Rape, and twenty (20) years each on each count of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, for a total of one thousand forty (1040) years. Judge Andrew Bailey sentenced Mr. Heinen to the terms of imprisonment recommended by the jury.
The Marion County Sheriff would like to thank the Marion County Jury for their hard work in hearing this case, all of the deputies for their work in the case, and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for their efforts in the case. Our hope is that the victim in this case can now begin the full healing process now that this case has been resolved.
Gregg L. Alexander, Sheriff
