A Pulaski County man was arrested Sunday, October 25th, following an investigation by the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office involving suspected child sexual abuse material.
According to Chief Deputy Seth Barton, deputies responded to a call for assistance on Friday, October 23rd, after a group confronted a suspect about digital communications with an alleged underage victim. Deputies were informed that the messages involved a decoy account rather than an actual minor.
Barton explained that investigations involving decoy accounts present evidentiary challenges, particularly when investigations have been compromised. He stated that these cases are typically referred to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, but the department has been advised that cases involving decoy accounts are not prosecuted when the investigations are not backed by law enforcement.
Following the incident, Barton received a video of a conversation involving Lenard Gentry. According to Barton, Gentry made statements in the video suggesting he had received and possessed child sexual abuse material.
Barton said those statements could be investigated independently of the decoy account conversation, allowing the Sheriff’s Office to begin a separate investigation.
On Sunday, October 25th, Barton and Detective Pickens followed up with Gentry. During that investigation, Detective Pickens obtained additional information and Gentry’s device.
Gentry was taken into custody Sunday evening and booked into the Pulaski County Jail on an initial charge of possession of child pornography, a Level 4 felony.
Barton thanked members of the public who contacted him with information and emphasized the importance of cooperation between law enforcement and the community in identifying and addressing criminal activity.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
