The criminal side of an historic Clark County-area rape case came to a conclusion Friday.
Lori Cogburn, 49, of Hot Springs, entered a plea of guilty to the offense of Permitting Abuse of a Minor in Clark County Circuit Court on January 19, 2024, before Special Judge Grisham Phillips.
Cogburn, a prior girlfriend of Barry Walker, was arrested on March 10, 2023, for failing to prevent the abuse of a minor family member by Walker. Walker was sentenced to 39 life sentences and an additional 1710 years for the rapes of 32 minor children over the span of approximately 25 years.
Questioned by Judge Phillips, Cogburn acknowledged the conduct in open court, saying she failed to prevent Walker’s abuse. The offense of Permitting Abuse of a Child is a class B felony and carries a potential punishment of 5 to 20 years. Cogburn was sentenced to 12 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and was immediately taken into custody following the hearing.
The family members impacted by Cogburn were present and provided victim impact statements prior to formal sentencing. Following the hearing, Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner said, “Today was a day for justice for the family members involved in this case. These young ladies were inspiring and showed courage and resilience as they faced Cogburn in court today.”
Turner added that he hoped today’s sentence would help bring closure and healing to the victims. Turner also praised the hard work of Investigator John Jones as the lead investigator in the case. “I want to thank Investigator John Jones, Sheriff Jason Watson and Sheriff Travis Hill and the other law enforcement members who assisted in the investigation and prosecution of this case. I also am grateful for Christa Neal, Casey Jackson and the numerous people who have devoted their time and energy to helping seek justice and healing for Walker’s victims.”
While Walker’s brother, Hot Springs school teacher Bryce Walker, was acquitted of similar charges, a second cohort, Brandy Cox, pleaded guilty in December.
RELATED: Brandy Cox gets 10-year sentence in Walker case
The Walker brothers, along with Cogburn, Cox and 9W Prosecutor Jana Bradford, remain the targets of a civil lawsuit filed by the victims and their families.
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