BRYANT, Ark. — A Bryant man has now been sentenced to 40 years in prison followed by 20 years of probation for possession of multiple images involving child sexual abuse material.
According to reports, in September 2023, Saline County detectives initiated an investigation after they got multiple tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Detectives looked into the files and they found several images of "pre-pubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct."
Police then obtained search warrants where they discovered the address and phone number of the suspect. During that time they discovered that 56-year-old Richard J. Wilson was a registered sex offender who lived within the Bryant city limits.
Wilson was later brought in for questioning regarding materials linked to his phone number. He acknowledged that the phone belonged to him and that he was the only one who had used it. He also admitted to having downloaded some of the "material" that was found.
He was then arrested and charged with several counts of possession of child pornography.
A judge accepted Wilson's guilty plea and sentenced him to 40 years in the Arkansas prison system followed by 20 years of probation.
“Richard Wilson is a predator and a danger to not only this community, but any community. This is exactly the type of behavior that warrants a significant sentence. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison back in 2006 for similar behavior and clearly has not been reformed," said Chris Walton, Prosecuting Attorney. "Thankfully, we have the watchful eyes of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children along with our local law enforcement officers, and if you are bold enough to download this sick and depraved material, which is victimizing thousands of children every day, you will get caught. It may not be today, tomorrow, or even next week, but we will catch you. And, when we do, you will join Richard Wilson in the Arkansas Department of Corrections."