Fayetteville School District Athletics Director Arrested

Barry Gebhart, Fayetteville High School athletic director, is escorted into court for his bond hearing Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, at the Benton County Courthouse Annex in Bentonville.

Barry Gebhart, Fayetteville High School athletic director, is escorted into court for his bond hearing Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, at the Benton County Courthouse Annex in Bentonville.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

BENTONVILLE — An undercover investigation led to the arrest of the Fayetteville School District athletics director Tuesday night.

Barry Gebhart, 50, of Fayetteville was arrested in connection with Internet stalking of a child. The Class A felony is punishable with a prison sentence ranging from six to 30 years if convicted. Prosecutors haven't filed a formal charge against Gebhart.

His arraignment is set for 8 a.m. Dec. 2 in Circuit Judge Robin Green’s court. Vicki Thomas, superintendent for the Fayetteville School District, said Gebhart has been placed on administrative leave.

Gebhart was arrested at Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers after Benton County Sheriff’s Office detectives arranged a meeting there. A detective pretending to be a 14-year-old girl communicated with Gebhart for several weeks, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Glenn Latham, a detective with the Sheriff’s Office, saw a posting Gebhart made on Whisper, a social networking application. Latham, assigned to the Cyber Crime Unit, began to pose as a 14-year-old girl and interacted with Gebhart, who said he was a teacher, the affidavit states.

Latham exchanged text messages and photographs with Gebhart on a daily basis for two weeks. Gebhart suggested meeting the girl on more than one occasion, culminating in Tuesday night’s meeting, according to the affidavit.

Gebhart asked Latham, posing as the fictional child, how old she was. Latham said 14. Gebhart then asked for a photograph, according to the affidavit. Gebhart made several sexual comments and sent a photograph of his penis and several facial photographs to the girl, according to the affidavit. Gebhart also asked for photographs of the girl’s breasts.

Latham was able to identify Gebhart as the man in photographs, and learned Gebhart was the athletics director for the Fayetteville School District, according to court documents. Latham told his supervisors and he was instructed to continue with the investigation.

The communications continued and Gebhart even offered to tutor the girl, according to court documents.

A meeting was arranged for the two to meet at Pinnacle Hills Promenade on Oct. 7, according to court documents. Detectives went to the scene, but Gebhart’s vehicle wasn't at the location. Gebhart didn't respond to any other messages that day, but he did the following day.

Gebhart and Latham, still pretending to be the girl, continued their communications for the next two weeks. The affidavit states Gebhart was sexually explicit in what he wanted to do to the girl. Gebhart also sent photographs when requested. Most of the photographs appeared to be taken in an office setting, according to court documents.

Detectives sent a subpoena to Whisper. The results showed several posts by a person, confirmed to be Gebhart, making references to skimpily clad girls wearing plaid miniskirts such as a school girl’s uniform, according to court documents.

The subpoena also revealed the GPS coordinates of the postings were near Fayetteville High School and Gebhart’s residence on Persimmon Street in Fayetteville, according to court documents.

A meeting was arranged later where Gebhart was taken into custody.

Gebhart admitted making the post on Whisper and said the girl was probably the first one he chatted with on Whisper, according to court documents. Gebhart said he chatted with several women and even met for sexual encounters.

Gebhart denied meeting any underage girls, but he said he texted a girl who was a senior at Fayetteville High School, the affidavit states. Gebhart told detectives he stopped the conversations when he discovered the girl attended the high school.

Gebhart also admitted to receiving nude photographs from girls, but told detectives he immediately deleted the photographs and started asking for non-nude ones, the affidavit states.

Gebhart appeared in court Wednesday afternoon where Circuit Judge Brad Karren bond at $75,000.

Stuart Cearley, chief deputy prosecutor, requested bond be set at $75,000. Fayetteville attorney Terry Harper, who represents Gebhart, asked that bond be set at $25,000.

“I have personally known Mr. Gebhart for almost 40 years,” Harper told Karren.

Gebhart, wearing jail inmate attire, didn’t speak at the bond hearing.

Gebhart was released from jail later Wednesday afternoon after posting bond.

Harper told Karren that Gebhart taught at the high school for 30 years and has been married for almost 10 years. Gebhart and his wife have an 8-year-old daughter, Harper said.

Karren set two conditions for Gebhart to follow when he's out on bond. Gebhart can't have unsupervised contact with minors and he can't have any access to a computer or the Internet.

“Not at your home or work,” Karren told Gebhart. “Nothing.”

Harper wanted to know if the order extended to Gebhart’s wife and child since they live in the same home.

Karren said he didn't want anyone, including Gebhart’s wife and child, to have a computer, cellphone or Internet access in the home

“That’s going to be a deal breaker,” Karren said. “He doesn’t have to stay there.”

Harper declined to comment on his client’s arrest.

At A Glance

Thomas Statement

Statement from Fayetteville Superintendent Vicki Thomas:

To our parents, guardians and friends,

As you may already be aware, today has been a difficult day for all of us at the Fayetteville Public Schools and in the Fayetteville community. Athletic Director Barry Gebhart was arrested last night by the Benton County Police Department on suspicion of Internet stalking of a child.

Upon my notification of his arrest, Gebhart was immediately placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the police investigation. We are fully cooperating with the Benton County Sheriff’s department in their investigation.

As a staff member, and as a parent, I urge you to continue to be vigilant in watching over your children’s cyber activity. If you have any concerns regarding this situation, or any other Internet safety issue, please contact our school resource officers at 445-1204 or 445-1205.

The safety of your children is of paramount importance to us. Anytime there is a possible crime such as this, there is a concern for other potential victims. Anyone with any information should contact their local police department. The Fayetteville Police Department may be reached at 479-587-3555.

Sincerely,

Vicki Thomas