$1 million bond set for suspect in 143 Pike/Clark County cases

By Dale Gathright, Jr., 08/31/22 3:59 PM
ARKADELPHIA – Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner announced today (August 31, 2022) that additional charges related to allegations of child sexual assaults involving thirty-one (31) different minor children have been filed in Pike County Circuit Court and Clark County Circuit Court against Barry Alan Walker. Turner, elected prosecuting attorney for Clark County, was previously appointed special prosecutor in Pike County concerning the matters involving Walker pursuant to an Order of the Pike County Circuit Court.
​Turner announced an additional thirteen (13) charges were filed against Walker. The new filings include charges against Walker in Pike County involving allegations of sexual assault against four (4) separate minor children. An additional nine filings were made in Clark County involving nine (9) separate minor children. The filings include charges of rape; computer exploitation of a child in the first degree; producing, directing or promoting a sexual performance by a child; engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium; and distributing, possessing or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.
On June 9, 2022, Barry Walker, a 58-year-old resident of Glenwood, Arkansas, was arrested by Investigator John Jones following initial allegations of sexual assault reported to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department. A search warrant was executed at Walker’s residence the same day, resulting in the seizure of 7 firearms and several thousand homemade child pornography images, as well as several thousand downloaded child pornography images.
Previously, on July 13, 2022, charges were filed against Walker for multiple rapes and related offenses alleged to have been committed against minor female children in Pike and Clark Counties. Criminal informations were filed against Walker in Pike County Circuit Court for allegations involving seven (7) separate children. Additionally, Walker was charged in Clark County Circuit Court for allegations against four (4) other minor children. These filings each included charges of rape and other similar felony charges.
​On July 27, 2022, additional charges were filed against Walker. These charges included an additional criminal information filed in Pike County and four additional filings in Clark County. Walker was charged for allegations of rape against an additional five (5) minor children, including similar felony charges as those previously filed.
Walker now faces a total of 34 counts of rape, 29 counts of computer exploitation of a child, 28 counts of producing, directing, or promoting a sexual performance by a child, and 29 counts of engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium. In total, charges against Walker include 39 class Y felonies, 76 class B felonies, 17 class C felonies, and 11 filings for sentence enhancement for those offenses committed in the presence of a child.
These filings represent allegations of sexual assaults involving 31 separate minor children spanning dates from 1997 to present in both counties. Walker was also initially charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of firearms by a felon, and possession of cocaine. Walker has also been charged with numerous offenses of possessing or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. Walker faces a term of imprisonment of 10 years to 40 years or life for each class Y felony, 5 years to 20 years for each class B felony, and 3 years to 10 years for each class C felony. Additionally, the sentencing enhancement for those offenses committed in the presence of a child carries up to and additional 10 years in prison for each such enhancement.
This matter is being investigated by Inv. John Jones of the 9th-West Judicial District Drug Task Force as well as Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson and Pike County Sheriff Travis Hill and their respective agencies. Assistance has been provided by the Arkansas State Police, the Union County Sheriff’s Department, the Garland County Sheriff’s Department, El Dorado Police Department, Springdale Police Department and the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Department.
Walker is being held in the Pike County Jail. Charges filed are merely accusations and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. This investigation continues to be ongoing. Individuals with information regarding this investigation are encouraged to contact the respective law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.
To report information – contact
Clark County – Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson – (870) 223-3860
Pike County – Investigator John Jones (870) 784-2591