A Clark County jury convicted an Oregon man, Jonathan Robert Jennings Walker, of 30 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child on March 30, 2022. Walker, 41, had multiple prior felony convictions from Idaho, Indiana and Oregon, including three prior convictions for Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree from Washington County, Ore., in 2009.  

On July 21, 2020, officers with the Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a cyber tip of the uploading of possible child sexual assault material from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Special Agent Corwin Battle and Special Agent Adam Pinner, investigators with the Arkansas State Police assigned to the task force, received the tip and initiated the investigation. Upon determining the IP address and location of the computer used to upload the offending image, Agent Pinner secured a search warrant for an apartment located in Arkadelphia which had recently been leased by Walker. On Aug. 6, 2020, multiple computers and electronic devices were seized from Walker’s apartment and were then forensically examined by Agent Battle. Battle discovered more than 100 images of child sexual abuse material, and Walker was taken into custody on that same day. 

During the trial, Battle described the images and investigative process used to recover the images from Walker’s computer hard drive. Agent Pinner also testified about the investigation and provided the  jurors with statements made by Walker at the time of his arrest. During the sentencing phase of the  trial, jurors were provided information about seven prior felony convictions Walker had received in Indiana, Idaho and Oregon and also learned that at the time of his arrest, Walker had an outstanding arrest warrant for parole violation for absconding. Walker’s prior convictions also included felony convictions for a drug offense, multiple felony convictions for theft of property and a felony conviction for failure to resister as a sex offender. 

The case was presented by Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner and deputy prosecutor Gina White. Following the presentation of testimony and evidence in sentencing, the jury recommended a sentence of 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for each of the 30 counts and the sentences were ordered to be served consecutively by Clark County Circuit Judge Blake Batson for a total term of 450 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. 

Following the trial, Turner praised the efforts of Agents Battle and Pinner stating “We are fortunate to have dedicated law enforcement officers committed to the investigation of child pornography and the protection of children in our state. It is sad that the proliferation of child sexual abuse material is so great that it has become necessary to form task forces to combat these crimes that depict unspeakable abuse of children. I am grateful for the hard work and efforts of Agent Corwin Battle and Agent Adam Pinner in this case and am hopeful that this verdict will send a strong message that Clark County will not  tolerate the exploitation and abuse of children.”