Bentonville man sentenced to 18 years in prison

Timothy Jacob Tanner
Timothy Jacob Tanner

BENTONVILLE -- A Bentonville man was sentenced to 18 years in prison Monday after admitting to possessing child pornography.

Timothy Jacob Tanner, 28, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a Class C felony. Tanner pleaded guilty through an agreement reached between Kim Weber, his attorney, and Stuart Cearley, Benton County chief deputy prosecutor.

Tanner was arrested April 12, 2015. The Cyber Crime Division of the Benton County Sheriff's Office began an online child pornography investigation Jan. 6, 2015, and detectives were able to trace the computer files to Tanner.

Detectives searched Tanner's home in February 2015, according to a probable cause affidavit. A detective found suspected child pornography on a laptop and thumb drive and another computer in the living room.

Tanner admitted to detectives to downloading child pornographic videos because he was curious about child pornography, the affidavit states.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green accepted the plea agreement and Tanner's guilty pleas.

Green sentenced him to 18 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. He must abide by a suspended sentence for seven years after his release from prison. Tanner will be required to register as a sex offender and must pay $1,170 in court costs.

NW News on 12/06/2016

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