Former Fayetteville athletic director pleads not guilty to stalking charge

Barry Gebhart

Barry Gebhart

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The former athletic director for the Fayetteville School District pleaded not guilty to an Internet stalking charge.

Barry Gebhart, 50, entered the plea Tuesday morning during his arraignment before Circuit Judge Robin Green.

Prosecutors filed formal charges against Gebhart prior the arraignment.

Gebhart is charged with Internet stalking of a child , a Class B felony.

He was arrested Oct. 22 at Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers after Benton County Sheriff 's Office detectives arranged a meeting there. A detective pretending to be a 14-yearold girl had communicated with Gebhart for several weeks, according to a probable cause aff davit.

Glenn Latham, a Sherift 's Offce detective, saw a posting Gebhart made on Whisper, a social networking application. Latham, who is 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, according to the affidavit. Gebhart made several sexual comments and sent a photograph of his penis and several facial photographs to the detective posing as the girl, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Gebhart's computer and other electronic devices were seized for a forensic search of the items.

The forensic search has not been completed, according to Stuart Cearley, chief deputy prosecutor.

Rogers attorney Drew Miller, who represents Gebhart, said he planned to hire an expert to examine the electronic devices.

Gebhart was released from the Benton County Jail on $75,000 bond the day after his arrest. He submitted his resignation to Superintendent Vicki Thomas of the Fayetteville School District two days later. The School Board officially accepted his resignation Nov. 21.

He was earning $101,917.

Gebhart had been Fayetteville's athletic director since December 2009. Earlier that year, Gebhart coached the Fayetteville boys basketball team to a championship season in which the Bulldogs went undefeated.

If convicted, Gebhart faces from five to 20 years in prison.