A Gassville woman accused of sexually assaulting three female relatives entered a no contest plea to three counts of second-degree sexual assault in Baxter County Circuit Court on Tuesday. The plea deal allowed 56-year-old Alice Alaine McLean to avoid trial, which had been scheduled for this week. Instead, McLean was sentenced to 10 years of probation and has registered as a sex offender.
The case stemmed from allegations that McLean engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with her relatives over several years. She initially faced three counts of rape, but these charges were reduced in a plea agreement.
At the sentencing hearing, all three victims addressed the court and described the emotional and psychological impact of McLean’s actions. One referred to the household she shared with McLean as seemingly normal from the outside but deeply troubled behind closed doors. "Some monsters look normal but it is only a mask," the victim said. Another called McLean "a disgrace" and expressed a desire to cut ties with family members who continued to support her. A third victim forgave McLean but emphasized the need for the defendant to seek help. "I hope she gets the help she needs," she told the court.
McLean turned herself in to the Baxter County Sheriff's Office on February 22, after an arrest warrant was issued. She was released on the same day after posting a $50,000 bond. The investigation into her conduct began in early 2022 and was carried out by the Gassville Police Department and the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office.
The court sealed sensitive documents related to the case, but public filings indicate McLean was employed as a teacher at one point, although she was reportedly suspended. Records also show a history of domestic relations cases involving McLean, including divorces and requests for protective orders against her.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Circuit Judge Andrew Bailey confirmed with prosecutors that the victims supported the negotiated plea deal. McLean was represented by attorneys Mark Cooper, Emily Reed, and Gray Dellinger, with Cooper and Reed present in court.
The victims said the abuse shattered their childhoods. "The time at home ripped my chance for a good childhood away," one told the court. Another expressed a mix of emotions about the ordeal, saying she felt "so mad ... and so sad."