BENTONVILLE -- A Poughkeepsie man was being held in lieu of $150,000 bond in the Benton County jail on Wednesday based on accusations he arranged to meet a teen girl to have sex with her.
Jerry Riggs, 51, was arrested Friday in connection with internet stalking of a child and sexual indecency with a child. Prosecutors haven't filed any formal charges against him.
Riggs' arrest was part of an online sting by a Siloam Springs police detective who was pretending to be a 14-year-old girl on a website known for adults attempting to meet children, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Riggs sent the girl a direct message and she repeatedly told him her age, with Riggs saying he was risking 30 years in prison due to her age, according to the affidavit.
He wanted the girl to come spend a week with him in Cave City, about a four-hour drive from Siloam Springs, according to the affidavit.
Riggs is accused of sending the girl a sexually explicit photograph, the affidavit states.
He arranged to come Friday and pick up the teen in Siloam Springs, according to the affidavit.
Siloam Springs police made a traffic stop at 10:30 p.m. Friday when Riggs was driving near the meeting place, according to the affidavit.
Riggs was taken into custody without incident, and he told police he was only there to protect the girl and take her back to her grandmother, according to the affidavit.
Riggs admitted to police to sending the photograph to the girl and telling her he was going to have sex with her, the affidavit states.
Riggs' arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. July 3 in Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green's courtroom.
The sting by Siloam Springs police resulted in one more arrest Tuesday. Ronald Russell, 26, of Siloam Springs was arrested in connection with internet stalking of child. He was being held Wednesday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set.