Former Monroe County District Court Judge Thomas David Carruth, 64, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after being convicted of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The sentence was handed down Monday by U.S. District Judge D. Price Marshall Jr.
Carruth, who presided over both civil and criminal matters, was acquitted of related charges including bribery, honest services fraud, and violations of the Travel Act. However, jurors found him guilty of lying to federal agents during an investigation into his conduct while on the bench.
According to court documents, the charges stemmed from an incident in April 2022, when Carruth met privately with the girlfriend of a criminal defendant whose case he was overseeing. During that meeting, Carruth solicited the woman for sexual favors and a lingerie show, implying that he could assist her boyfriend’s legal case in exchange. Unbeknownst to Carruth, the conversation was recorded, and the audio became a central piece of evidence during the investigation.
Jurors concluded that Carruth made knowingly false statements to the FBI when he denied making any sexual advances or inappropriate comments. Specifically, Carruth claimed he did not “request,” “ask,” “offer,” make “overtures,” “insinuate,” or even “think about” sex with the woman involved.
However, the recording revealed otherwise. Carruth was heard saying, “How do you feel about sex?” and later, “Do you have any nice lingerie? Do you mind letting me see you in it?” He continued, “If you change your mind about giving me a lingerie show, well, you got a body that can do it… I’d love to look—to see it on you,” adding, “If you change your mind about seeing what an old man can do, you know.”
The case has drawn attention as another example of abuse of power by a public official.
“Officials who violate the public’s trust for their own personal gain have no place in our Arkansas communities,” said Alica D. Corder, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office. “FBI Little Rock will continue to work with members of the ArkTrust Public Corruption Task Force to protect Arkansans from corruption and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.”
The investigation was led by the FBI as part of its broader efforts to combat public corruption in the state.
