Four men who allegedly attempted to meet minors for sexual acts were arrested during a recent undercover operation conducted by the White County Sheriff's Office. According to officials, the arrests were the result of a coordinated sting on Friday aimed at identifying adults seeking to exploit children online.
The suspects—Charles Allen, 58, of Judsonia; Gordon Michaelis, 40, of Beebe; Dodi Diana, 49, of Maryland; and Hunter Cox, 23, of Benton—have each been charged with internet stalking of a child. That charge is a Class Y felony, the most severe felony classification in Arkansas.
While Allen, Michaelis, and Diana were taken into custody in White County, Cox was apprehended outside the county by other agencies using evidence provided by the sheriff's office, authorities said. A fifth suspect is now the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant in connection with the case.
On Monday, District Judge Mark Pate set bond amounts for the suspects. Diana, an Indonesian national, received a bond of $250,000 and remains subject to a federal immigration detainer stemming from an alleged visa overstay. Bond amounts for the other suspects were set at $125,000 for Cox and $75,000 each for Michaelis and Allen.
White County Sheriff Phillip Miller and Chief Deputy Clayton Edwards led the operation, which involved several partner agencies, including the FBI’s Little Rock Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Little Rock, the Arkansas State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the police departments of Searcy, Jonesboro, and Van Buren.
In a statement, the sheriff's office described the operation as part of a proactive effort to protect children in the community from exploitation and harm. No additional details about the undercover operation were released as the investigation remains ongoing.
The sheriff's office encourages community members to report any suspicious online activity involving children to law enforcement immediately.