Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Box gets 20 years for rape

Tony Box, 22, of Prescott, has been convicted of rape and residential burglary and sentenced to a total of 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction.

The initial incident occurred June 3, 1999, around 12:30 a.m., when the victim was at home watching television.

She heard a noise outside and got up to make sure the doors were locked. However, the door was kicked open by Box, who was wearing a stocking over his head.

She asked him to leave, but was pushed to the floor, where Box attempted to "tongue kiss" her. The victim, though, bit Box's tongue and begged him to stop.

Box began tying the victim with a piece of wire and repeatedly struck her with his hand, telling her to shut up and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

Court records show Box raped the victim and tried to clean her up.

As he left the scene, he told the victim he would be watching the house.

The victim waited a few minutes, then went to her boyfriend's grandmother's house nearby, where she stayed until a deputy with the Nevada County Sheriff's Office arrived.

The victim was taken to Medical Park Hospital in Hope, where a rape test was administered.

She identified her attacker as Box, who was subsequently arrested.

The court ordered a mental health test be given to Box, who told the psychologist he was "mental", heard voices no one else heard and saw things others didn't.

Box also claimed to be "God's helper," and "messenger until there were signs of the second coming."

The tests, though, showed Box to have an antisocial personality disorder due to age, and a non-psychotic conduct disorder, but knew right from wrong.

Box was represented by Scott Freydl, a Hope public defender, initially, but Freydl requested, and was granted, removal from the case.

He was replaced by Mark Gunter as Box's attorney.

Box entered a plea of guilty to residential burglary and was sentenced to five years in prison.

A jury trial was held for the rape charges, with Box being found guilty and given 15 years.

Both sentences are to run consecutive, giving Box a total of 20 years in prison.