BENTONVILLE -- A Bentonville man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for possessing child pornography in a case involving three girls.
James Warren Breedlove, 53, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a Class C felony, and three counts of engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium, a Class B felony. The plea came under an agreement attorney Sam Hall reached with Stuart Cearley, chief deputy prosecutor.
Breedlove was arrested Jan. 15, 2015. His arrest resulted from a police investigation that started in Wadsworth, Ohio, according to court documents.
The parents of a 12-year-old girl reported to Wadsworth police their daughter had exchanged sexually explicit messages and nude photographs with a man, according to the affidavit. The parents later refused to cooperate with Wadsworth police. Ohio authorities referred the case to Bentonville police out of concern Breedlove had nude images of the girl or might be communicating with other girls, according to court documents.
Bentonville Detective Jerrod Wiseman interviewed Breedlove, who he said he met the Ohio girl via the KIK texting application. Breedlove admitted he asked for and received nude pictures of the girl, police said.
Breedlove told Wiseman he knew the girl was 12 and he sent the girl photographs of himself. Breedlove claimed the relationship lasted several months. He later deleted the KIK application and quit communicating with the girl because his conscience began to bother him, according to the affidavit.
Wiseman's investigation revealed Breedlove also communicated with a 16-year-old girl in Cork, Ireland. The girl told police she communicated with Breedlove for a year. She thought he was 19. The girl also said she sent nude photographs to Breedlove, police said.
Breedlove admitted he received nude photographs of other girls who were younger than 17, according to the affidavit. Breedlove told police he would tell the girls he was 20 so they would feel comfortable sending him pictures.
Circuit Judge Brad Karren accepted the plea agreement and Breedlove's guilty pleas.
Breedlove was sentenced to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. He must abide by a suspended sentence agreement for 15 years after his release from prison, must register as a sex offender and pay $1,620 in court costs.
Breedlove received 392 days of jail credit for time spent in jail awaiting trial.
NW News on 02/13/2016