Cyber Sex Sting Nets Seven Arrests in Arkansas

Saline County, just minutes from Little Rock, Arkansas has had enough. A recent cyber sex sting has resulted in seven arrests. Deputy Chuck Barker and Shannon Hills Police Chief Richard Friend have been posing as a teenage girl from Alexander, Arkansas in Saline County. All seven men were caught after arriving at a house set up by officers, where they expected a 14-year-old girl named Kim to be waiting. Instead, they fell into the loving arms of the law. Saline County Sheriff's Department had a female employee using a cell phone to give the men directions to the house.

The men wasted no time once "Kim" from Alexander introduced herself they immediately began talking about sex and offering to show her nude photos of themselves. The men were not provoked, they instigated the sexual discussion that lead to their later arrests when they tried to follow through with their plans of meeting "Kim" to have sex with her. One man had plans of meeting "Kim" for a bondage and control session. The intention of all men was to have sex with a child, plain and simple.

The frightening part is some of these men are fathers. One man, from Hot Springs Arkansas, is a soldier. The arrests happened within minutes of each other, officers barely having time to clear vehicles and suspects from view, before another suspect drove up. Even though one officer was sent to the hospital with injuries, the sting continued to operate and result in more arrests.

One of the men, Jeff Hoyt, and IBM employee in Little Rock for business - faces an additional charge of aggravated assault for hitting the vehicle police chief Richard Friend was using to block the driveway. When Hoyt hit Chief Friend's vehicle, Friend's gun accidentally discharged and he was thrown from the truck. No one was shot as a result of the gun firing, but Chief Friend was hurt. Not only were the arrests videotaped and shown on air, but their names and photos were placed on a news website as well.

All men arrested face a prison sentence of 10 years, if convicted. The men will be charged with internet stalking of a child. Since "Kim" does not exist, and no contact with a child was made, the men cannot be charged with a more serious sex crime that would cost them more prison time. Police are preparing to set up another online predator sting in the near future.