Trucker Garretson Gets Life for Interstate Sex Crimes

FORT SMITH, AR – Clarence C. Garretson, 66, of Van Buren, Arkansas, will spend the rest of his life in federal prison. The former over-the-road trucker was sentenced today to life imprisonment for transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He also received 15-year concurrent sentences on four additional counts of the same crime, all to run alongside the life term, handed down by Chief Judge P.K. Holmes, III in the United States District Court.

The case unraveled in May of 2016 when a young woman, identified as Minor #1, came forward with a harrowing account of being raped by Garretson during a multi-state trip two years prior. Court records reveal Garretson, employed by C & T Trucking, had secured a “rider waiver” allowing the then 10-year-old girl to accompany him on the journey. The plea agreement stipulated Garretson admitted to transporting the minor with the intent to commit sexual acts, specifically Rape, a Class Y felony.

But Minor #1 wasn’t alone. The FBI’s investigation quickly expanded, revealing a disturbing pattern stretching back decades. In 2002, Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) received a report alleging sexual assault by Garretson against a foster child in his care. This prompted investigators to locate and interview former residents of the Garretson foster home. Minor #2, a foster child from 2000-2004, detailed how Garretson took her on interstate truck trips, admitting he intended to engage in sexual activity—specifically, Violation of a Minor in the First Degree, a Class C felony—while she was under his care.

The scope of Garretson’s predation widened further with the testimony of Minor #3, legally adopted by Garretson and his wife in 2001. The FBI learned Garretson began taking Minor #3 on long-distance trips when he was just 11 years old, subjecting him to repeated sexual assaults during summer vacations in 2002 and 2003. Garretson stipulated he transported the minor with intent to commit Rape, again a Class Y felony, while the child was in his custody. Minor #5, another former foster child placed in the Garretson home in 1999, corroborated the pattern, detailing a sexual assault during a trip to California in the summer of 2000 when she was 13.

Garretson’s operation exploited vulnerabilities within the foster care system and the trucking industry. By securing DHS approval to operate a foster home and utilizing rider waivers, he created opportunities to isolate and abuse vulnerable children across state lines. The United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, Kenneth Elser, emphasized the severity of the crimes and the dedication of the FBI in bringing Garretson to justice. The sentence serves as a stark warning: preying on children will be met with the full force of the law.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments. Anyone with information regarding similar cases is urged to contact their local FBI field office or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.