A former judge from Arkansas has been declared guilty of deceiving federal officials about an attempt to coerce a defendant’s girlfriend into a sexual encounter or a “lingerie display,” according to an announcement from the Department of Justice.

A jury convicted Thomas David Carruth for making misleading statements to the FBI about leveraging his judicial authority to solicit sexual favors from the girlfriend of a man involved in a case in the Monroe County District Court. The girlfriend had secretly recorded Carruth’s inappropriate remarks and provided the evidence to federal authorities.

The woman’s recordings revealed Carruth’s inappropriate requests, which were part of a federal indictment in the Eastern District of Arkansas.

In the recorded conversation, Carruth makes a suggestive remark about exploring a personal matter with her, asking, “How do you feel about sex?” which starkly contradicted his claims to the FBI that he never even thought about sex with her.

In addition to this conviction, Carruth’s judicial history is already marred by previous misconduct allegations. In 2018, the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission reprimanded him for behavior that created an appearance of impropriety, reflecting similar allegations that were the basis for the current charges.

Carruth is facing up to five years in prison for his conviction, although no sentencing date has been set yet. The 64-year-old was acquitted of other charges, including bribery and honest services fraud, as stated by the Justice Department.

He was initially arrested and charged in January 2023. After the FBI searched his home in June 2023, Carruth chose to resign from his position, as reported by The Monroe County Argus.

Carruth’s attorney, Jeffrey M. Rosenzweig, expressed appreciation towards the jury for their decision.

“We are thankful for the jury’s insight in recognizing the weak and overlapping charges that the government decided to pursue,” Rosenzweig stated. “While we acknowledge that the jury chose to convict on this one count, we respectfully disagree with their conclusion.”

‘Do You Have Any Nice Lingerie?’

The recorded 28-minute call from April 18, 2022, captures Carruth discussing sexual extortion in a very straightforward manner.

Initially, the woman had contacted him for a different matter when he volunteered to assist her boyfriend with his legal issues, according to the indictment.

The boyfriend was eager to schedule an early trial date to avoid violating his parole, and Carruth indicated he could accommodate that if he received something in return.

When Carruth mentioned sex, the woman responded, “I’d prefer not to have to in order to get this done,” to which he replied, asking, “Do you have any nice lingerie?”

Even after her refusal to engage in a “lingerie show,” Carruth continued to press for the exchange, stating, “What you’re buying is we’re going to try to shorten those timeframes,” alluding to the boyfriend’s trial timeline, as recorded in court documents.

Questionable Background

Carruth’s interactions with women have raised concerns since he was first elected in 2012.

With a population of less than 10,000 in Monroe County, a rural area about 90 miles east of Little Rock, it is not unusual for courthouse visitors to directly approach a judge, as noted by the Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission in their 2018 reprimand of Carruth.

In small town environments, judges must be especially cautious to avoid inappropriate discussions about court matters. However, the commission highlighted allegations against Carruth that spanned several years.

Specific details of his questionable behavior were not disclosed in the admonishment, but they reportedly involved inappropriate solicitations from women with cases pending before him.

Despite his denials, the commission criticized Carruth for allowing a situation where suspicion could arise.

“Even if we assume your claims are true, the frequency and nature of your interactions created an impression of impropriety,” the commission stated. “The judiciary can only function if it earns the trust and confidence of the public, which is upheld when judges follow the Code of Judicial Conduct and adhere to the law.”

Ultimately, the commission chose to publicly reprimand Carruth without further sanctions.