WYNNE, Ark. — A judge sentenced a Wynne woman Tuesday to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for one count of rape that involved several juveniles.
Veronica Blake faced a maximum of 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting several juveniles back in 2017, prosecutors said. She had already pleaded guilty.
Per the prosecutor, that one charge encompasses six underage victims — all of whom she admitted in court to raping.
“It’s shameful and it’s sick for sure, but there’s just no greater betrayal of our trust,” prosecuting attorney Todd Murray said.
Murray said he negotiated Blake’s plea deal with the help of the families of her victims.
Families said they’re relieved the children won’t have to testify in a trial.
“It was a long way to get here, seemed like forever,” one father said.
He is still trying to help his son moved past what happened around two years ago, when he was alone with Blake.
“He trusted. He loved. For her to just do what happened to him just ripped all that away,” the father said.
Family members got one last chance to tell Blake how she’s affected their lives Tuesday in court. Parents and grandparents called her names like “evil” and “demented.”
One mom on the stand explained how one of her sons had to have treatment for thinking about suicide.
Another mom said, “Justice is being served and I couldn’t be happier.”
She added that her son will remain in therapy, hoping to eventually find a new normal.
That’s what one of the fathers in the case wants, but said he can’t do it quite yet.
“I try to lead by example,” he said. “Obviously for my son to get over this, he’s gonna have to forgive her. In that process I’m gonna have to forgive her and I’m not there today.”
Until the plea deal, Blake was also facing charges of incest, computer child pornography and sexual indecency with a minor. Those charges were dropped as part of the deal.
Authorities in Arkansas said the allegations came to light after they received a report of sexual assault against three juveniles. During that investigation they discovered other victims and learned that Blake had made contact with them using social media.
When we first covered these charges in 2017, Blake’s family told us they were unfounded and probably stemmed from her ongoing divorce.
Her family didn’t make any comments Tuesday at court.
