A coordinated operation last week in Baxter County resulted in six arrests, targeting individuals linked to scams and the exploitation of minors. The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office partnered with multiple law enforcement agencies and Trilogy Media, Inc., a California-based organization that specializes in exposing scams and assisting authorities with investigations.
During the operation, conducted between July 22 and July 24, three individuals allegedly involved in scamming activities and three men accused of attempting to engage in sexual activity with minors were taken into custody.
The first arrest occurred on July 22 when authorities detained 73-year-old Patti Lynn Dunlap of Hardy, Arkansas. Deputies allege Dunlap acted as a money mule, sent to collect $45,000 in cash from a decoy posing as an elderly scam victim. According to investigators, Dunlap planned to keep $10,000 as payment for delivering the money. She was arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 62 East after completing the pickup. Dunlap faces charges of felony theft of property and remains in custody at the Baxter County Detention Center with a $50,000 bond. She is scheduled for a court appearance on August 3.
The following day, two men from Brooklyn, New York—47-year-old Jinbu Lin and 34-year-old Jiaming Yu—were arrested on similar charges. Both allegedly arrived at a bait house in Mountain Home to retrieve $45,000 in cash from another decoy victim. When law enforcement attempted to arrest them, Lin reportedly fled on foot before entering a vehicle driven by Yu. Following a pursuit, officers stopped the car and discovered more than $4,000 in cash and two grams of methamphetamine inside. Both men face multiple felony charges, including theft of property, possession of a controlled substance, and fleeing. Lin and Yu are being held without bond due to immigration detainers issued by the Department of Homeland Security and are also scheduled to appear in court on August 3.
The operation also targeted individuals accused of soliciting minors online for sexual purposes. On July 23, Christopher Dyson, 44, of Gassville, was arrested after allegedly arranging to meet a decoy posing as a 14-year-old boy. Authorities allege Dyson sent explicit photos and planned to meet the minor at a Mountain Home hotel for sexual activity. He was taken into custody upon arrival and charged with felony internet stalking of a child. Dyson was released after posting a $25,000 bond and faces an August 3 court appearance.
Two additional arrests followed on July 24. Brady Dale Terry, 40, of rural Mountain Home, was accused of contacting a decoy posing as a 14-year-old girl and arranging a similar meeting. He was apprehended at the designated location and charged with felony internet stalking of a child. Later that day, Travis Lewis Dollins, 29, of Yellville, was arrested on the same charge after allegedly making arrangements to meet another decoy portraying a 14-year-old girl. Dollins remains in custody with a $25,000 bond. Both men are slated to appear in court on August 3.
The operation involved the cooperation of the Mountain Home Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the sheriff’s offices in Carroll and Sharp counties. Sheriff John Montgomery credited the collaboration for the success of the initiative. "Local law enforcement will continue working together to detect and apprehend scammers and those preying on children," Montgomery stated.