BENTONVILLE -- A Bentonville man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for possessing child pornography in a case that involved three girls.
James Warren Breedlove, 53, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a Class C felony, and three counts of engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium, a Class B felony.
The plea came under an agreement attorney Sam Hall reached with Stuart Cearley, chief deputy prosecutor.
Breedlove was arrested Jan. 15, 2015, after an investigation that started in Wadsworth, Ohio, according to court documents.
The parents of a 12-year-old girl reported to Wadsworth police that their daughter had exchanged sexually explicit messages and nude photographs with a man, according to the affidavit. The parents later refused to cooperate with Wadsworth police.
Ohio authorities referred the case to Bentonville police out of concern Breedlove might have nude images of the girl or might be communicating with other girls, according to court documents.
Bentonville detective Jerrod Wiseman interviewed Breedlove, who he said met the Ohio girl via the Kik texting application. Breedlove admitted he asked for and received nude pictures of the girl, police said.
Breedlove told Wiseman that he knew the girl was 12 and that he sent the girl photographs of himself during the several months they were in communication, police said. He later deleted the Kik application and quit communicating with the girl because his conscience began to bother him, according to the affidavit.
Wiseman's investigation revealed Breedlove also communicated with a 16-year-old girl in Cork, Ireland. The girl told police that she communicated with Breedlove for a year. She thought he was 19. The girl also said she sent nude photographs to Breedlove, police said.
Breedlove admitted he received nude photographs of other girls who were under 17, according to the affidavit. Breedlove told police that he would tell the girls he was 20 so they would feel comfortable sending him pictures.
Circuit Judge Brad Karren accepted the plea agreement.
Breedlove was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He must abide by a suspended-sentence agreement for 15 years after his release from prison, register as a sex offender and pay $1,620 in court costs.
Breedlove received 392 days of credit for the time he spent in jail awaiting trial.
Metro on 02/13/2016