A Bauxite man has been sentenced by a Saline County Judge for 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexual charged involving minors.
On September 24, 2019, Dillon Dempsey Harrison, 23, of Bauxite pleaded guilty to Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, Internet Stalking of a Child, Sexually Grooming a Child, and Possessing Child Pornography, according to Prosecuting Attorney Chris Walton. Judge Gary Arnold accepted the State’s recommendation and sentenced Harrison, of Bauxite, to 20 years in prison.
On October 25, 2018, deputies with the Saline County Sheriff’s Department were contacted regarding a possible sex crime. During the course of the investigation, Detective Joseph Amundson found that from June 1, 2017 through December 12, 2018, Harrison had touched the breasts of a 13-year-old girl while exposing his penis to her.
Harrison had also made contact with an 11-year-old girl, requested nude photos from her as well as set up a time to pick her up to have sex. Her mother found the text messages and reported it to law enforcement.
Harrison had also sent nude photos of himself to three other underage girls during this time period.
All of the victims were interviewed by a child forensic interviewer with the Cooper Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center which resulted in the allegations becoming known. Detective Amundson took that information, spoke to the victims, collected forensic evidence, and interviewed Harrison. Harrison admitted the allegations were true.
In a press release, Walton thanked the Saline County Sheriff’s Department and the investigators with the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children and the Cooper Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center for helping to bring justice to this case.
“Clearly Dillon Harrison is a child sexual predator who preys on the vulnerability and youth of these children. It should be known to other sexual predators out there that this behavior will not be tolerated in Saline County,” state Walton. “We have dedicated men and women who will work long and hard to put you away which is exactly what happened in this case.”
Harrison was represented by Brent Standridge; and the State was represented by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Carrie Robertson.