JONESBORO, Ark. — A registered sex offender arrested earlier this year during a compliance enforcement operation is now facing proceedings to revoke his probation in an unrelated case.
Robert Shane McKenzie, 51, appeared on Wednesday, August 26, in Craighead County court after being detained on a probation revocation petition. During the hearing, the judge found probable cause to hold McKenzie in custody and set his bond at $15,000 cash or surety.
Court records show the revocation petition is tied to a 2020 case in Craighead County in which McKenzie was charged with internet stalking of a child and computer child pornography. However, the case filings do not specify the particular violation alleged in the current revocation proceedings. McKenzie is scheduled to return to court on September 30.
The revocation petition came shortly after a separate legal matter involving McKenzie in Poinsett County. On August 14, a warrant was issued for his arrest in Craighead County — just 18 days after McKenzie entered a negotiated plea agreement in Poinsett County. In that case, he pled guilty to felony possession of drug paraphernalia related to methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, or fentanyl and was sentenced to 48 months of supervised probation. Prosecutors dismissed a related failure-to-register charge the same day.
McKenzie’s earlier arrest occurred in May during “Operation Protect Our Children,” a compliance and enforcement initiative led by the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office and Arkansas Probation and Parole. Officials allege McKenzie failed to comply with sex offender registration or address-reporting requirements and also possessed drug paraphernalia. The offense date was listed as May 6 in court records.
McKenzie was one of 12 individuals arrested during that operation. While he pleaded guilty to the drug paraphernalia charge in July, he maintained his not-guilty plea on the failure-to-register accusation before prosecutors dropped it.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by officials in Arkansas to hold registered sex offenders accountable for compliance with state-required registration laws.
Criminal defendants, including McKenzie, are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.