Ashdown Business Owner Charged With Sexual Assault; Property Owner Seeks Eviction

An Ashdown-area business owner is facing a felony charge after being accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy who investigators say she was in a position of trust and authority over.

According to court records filed Wednesday, 35-year-old Alexandra Elizabeth Vaught of Horatio has been charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault.

A probable cause affidavit alleges the teenage victim was given alcohol before the alleged assaults, which investigators say occurred at a property along Highway 71 South that formerly housed Rail House Meats.

Also on Wednesday, the owner of the property filed an eviction complaint against Vaught, citing alleged criminal activity on the premises and unpaid rent. The complaint also seeks a $10,000 judgment.

Court records show Vaught was released Tuesday after posting a $5,000 bond set by Judge Tom Cooper.

If convicted, Vaught faces a possible sentence of five to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. The criminal case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Bryan Chesshir.

As with all criminal cases, the charge is an allegation, and Vaught is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.