A multi-agency investigation that shook the Saline County community has concluded in the courtroom.Prosecuting Attorney Chris Walton announced Wednesday that Brian Keith Cooper, Jr., of Benton, has pled guilty to one count of rape and four counts of distributing, possessing, or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving children (CSAM). Read more below. Circuit Judge […]
Bryant man caught with 5000 child sex abuse videos; Sentenced to penitentiary
A Bryant man was sentenced on Friday, March 6, 2026, to serve 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing child sexual abuse materials, federal officials announced. Read more below. Tyler Dane Wooten, age 36, received a 360-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky, according to Jonathan D. Ross, United States […]
Hardy Police Chief arrested on charges of child sexual abuse
HARDY, Ark. — Investigators from the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the Arkansas State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI have arrested Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose, 47, following an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse. Read more from ASP below. On March 31, 2025, the SCSO sought assistance from the agencies regarding […]
State Police: Investigation on Haskell rape suspect began in 2024
On Friday, May 2, 2025, Arkansas State Police (ASP) Criminal Investigation (CID) Special Agents arrested Brian Keith Cooper Jr., age 28, of Haskell. The charges are: 22 felony counts of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), 1 count of Rape, 2 counts of Second-Degree Sexual Assault, and 1 count of Sexual Grooming of a Child. Read […]
City of Haskell emphasizes disaffiliation with rape suspect; Cites ALETA letter from 2022
ORIGINAL ARTICLE MAY 5, 2025, 7:21pm The City of Haskell issued a statement on Monday, May 5, 2025, emphasizing disaffiliation with a rape suspect who was recently arrested. The suspect, Brian Keith Cooper, Jr., was formerly employed in law enforcement at the City of Haskell. He is also known to have been a firefighter at […]
Two men in jail on CSAM, one with rape & grooming charges
Two Saline County men were arrested by separate law enforcement agencies, with charges including Rape, Grooming, Sexual Assault, and Child Sexual Abuse Materials on Friday, May 2nd, 2025. Read more below. The Arkansas State Police arrested Brian Keith Cooper. His file currently shows 22 counts of Pandering Or Possessing Visual Or Print Medium Depicting Sexually […]
Child pornographer from Saline County gets 60 years in prison
A Saline County man is going to prison for a long time for child pornography, according to Saline County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Walton. Richard Jason Wilson, 56, of Bryant was convicted of possessing multiple images of child pornography, and he was sentenced on February 20, 2024. The images in his possession included prepubescent children engaged […]
Saline County man arrested on 30 counts of possession of child pornography
Attorney General Tim Griffin issued a statement on the arrest of John Moseley, 41, of Benton on 30 counts of distributing, possessing, or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. “Special agents in my office’s Special Investigations Division arrested this man after executing a search warrant at his home on December 11, […]
Benton man arrested on charges of sexual activity online with a minor
A Benton man faces charges related to sexual activity online with a minor. On the morning of August 3, 2021, detectives with the Saline County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, along with a criminal investigator from the Arkansas State Police arrested Arkansas National Guardsman Alexander William Dame, age 22, of […]
Sheriff’s office seeks suspect in Saline County sexual assault
On Friday, July 30, 2021 at approximately 6:30 p.m., deputies and detectives with the Saline County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 3000 block of Peeler Bend Road in reference to a sexual assault. After conducting an initial interview of the victim, it was determined that the suspect and the victim in this […]