A Mountain Home man has entered a not guilty plea in Baxter County Circuit Court after being charged with internet stalking of a child. Authorities say 44-year-old Brady Dale Terry, originally from Cherokee Village, waived his court appearance and posted a $25,000 bond following his arrest.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Terry was taken into custody after allegedly arranging to meet someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. The meeting was arranged at a residence in Mountain Home that had been set up as a "bait house" by law enforcement. Investigators acting as the decoy reportedly told Terry the girl was home alone and informed him of her age. When Terry arrived at the residence, officers were waiting inside.
Law enforcement reports state that Terry conversed briefly with the decoy in the home’s living room before deputies intervened and arrested him. As Terry stood during the encounter, condoms reportedly fell from his pocket. During questioning, Terry initially avoided explaining why he came to the residence but later admitted he believed the individual had portrayed herself as a 14-year-old girl. He claimed at one point that he hoped she was older, specifically stating he wanted to believe she was 19, but confessed he had been aware of the stated age. He told investigators he had gone through with the meeting because he was lonely.
Terry faces the charge of internet stalking of a child, a serious felony that carries the potential for significant penalties if convicted.