A Mountain Home nurse practitioner now faces 25 criminal charges, including 24 counts of third-degree sexual assault and one count of harassment, and is named in four civil lawsuits alleging inappropriate conduct during medical exams.
Prosecuting Attorney David L. Ethredge filed an amended information on August 21 against Joseph Riley Steves, 37, in Baxter County Circuit Court. The amended charges follow an initial filing in April that carried only eight counts. Steves was served with a new arrest warrant at the Baxter County Jail on August 21, court records show, and his next court appearance is scheduled for September 8 at 9 a.m. Bond remains set at $60,000, matching the amount originally determined in April.
### Allegations in Criminal Charges An amended affidavit of probable cause, sworn to by a Mountain Home police investigator on August 17, details accusations from four women who were treated by Steves at Access Medical Clinic on Highway 62 East. The women, aged between 18 and 36, describe incidents during visits between January and March of 2026. Claims include unsolicited physical contact, inappropriate remarks, and breaches of professional boundaries. In every instance, the women allege the conduct occurred without a female staff member present.
One complaint involves an 18-year-old woman treated on February 28 for an allergic reaction. The affidavit states that Steves instructed her to pull her pants down, pulled them to her ankles himself, and made physical contact with her legs. Another case describes similar conduct during a urinary tract infection treatment for a 36-year-old woman on March 23. Additional alleged incidents involve a 19-year-old treated for a sinus infection on January 2 and a mother who brought her 12-year-old son to the clinic on January 15 and says Steves touched her inappropriately during her son’s appointment.
The affidavit mentions that more women have reported similar incidents to law enforcement, setting the stage for the 20 additional felony counts included in the amended charges. However, the document provides no further details about those additional cases.
### Civil Lawsuits Filed The four civil lawsuits, filed between late May and late July, add further scrutiny. Three of the cases also name Access Medical Clinic Arkansas LLC as a defendant, alleging the clinic ignored prior complaints about Steves before the plaintiffs’ visits. The women accuse Steves of unnecessary and unconsented physical contact during medical exams and claim the clinic failed to act on prior reports of misconduct.
Access Medical denies the allegations and has argued that if the conduct did occur, it was outside the scope of Steves’ employment, exempting the clinic from liability. In one lawsuit, Steves has formally denied the allegations but claims insufficient knowledge to address many details. Both Steves and Access Medical are contesting the claims in court.
### Legal Proceedings Court filings show extensive motions from both the prosecution and defense. Steves’ attorneys have filed motions to suppress evidence, request information on state witnesses, and dispute the admissibility of certain materials. The state has disclosed police case narratives, victim statements, medical reports, and other evidence, and states it operates an open-file policy for the defense.
### Current Status Steves is out on bond and denies the allegations. The four lawsuits, all demanding jury trials, proceed separately from the criminal case but share overlapping claims. The next criminal court hearing is set for September 8.
NorthArkNow does not identify individuals reporting sexual assault. Updates will follow as the case develops.