LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Federal agents confirmed Thursday afternoon that a former Arkansas district court judge is in custody facing federal charges.

According to officials at the FBI Little Rock field office, 63-year-old David Carruth was taken into custody earlier in the day. He faces three counts of honest services wire fraud, three counts of using a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of unlawful activity, one count of bribery, one count of making false statements, and one count of obstruction of justice.

In a release, the US Department of Justice said the charges Carruth is facing are tied to allegations he solicited sex in exchange for agreeing to take action on a criminal case pending before his court.

Carruth, who was formerly the Clarendon city attorney and a Monroe County District Court Judge, was the subject of a raid at his home in June of 2022. At that time, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas confirmed the raid was part of an ongoing Department of Justice investigation.

Just a day after that raid, Carruth told KARK 4 News that he was being blackmailed by a woman in Clarendon regarding a case involving the woman’s boyfriend. He claimed at the time that he immediately notified the Arkansas State Police and the FBI about the situation.

“I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do,” Carruth told KARK 4 News. “When someone tried getting me to do something, I contacted authorities.”

In the release issued Thursday, DOJ officials claimed Carruth lied to FBI agents when questioned about the allegations made against him.

If convicted, Carruth could face up to 20 years in prison for the highest charges.

The Department of Justice said the case is continuing to be investigated by the FBI and Arkansas State Police.

Carruth has been released from custody after appearing before a federal judge.