Former doctor pleads responsible in a part of main youngster sexual assault case, will get a number of life sentences

A former Fort Smith-area doctor charged with 34 counts of rape involving 31 youngsters in two south Arkansas counties pleaded responsible as we speak to 11 counts of rape and one depend of sexual assault in Pike County Circuit Court docket as we speak.

Barry Alan Walker, 58, of Glenwood additionally pleaded responsible to another costs, together with weapons offenses, and was sentenced to 18 life sentences, with 4 of them to be served consecutively.

Walker confronted sentencing enhancements due to things like committing his crimes in entrance of different youngsters, Prosecuting Legal professional Dan Turner stated after the listening to in Murfreesboro.

The allegations towards Walker spanned from 1997 to the current in Clark and Pike counties. A number of the victims are actually adults. 9 of the 12 victims in as we speak’s circumstances are nonetheless minors, Turner stated.

The sentence was handed down by Circuit Choose Bryan Chesshir in Murfreesboro.

“It was extraordinarily essential to maintain these victims from having to relive the abuse,” via testimony in a trial, Turner stated in a textual content message. “And we offered them a voice as many provided sufferer impression statements.”

Walker is scheduled to seem Thursday morning in Clark County Circuit Court docket in Arkadelphia, the place one other change of plea is predicted to comparable costs there.

Turner, who’s the prosecutor in Clark County, additionally dealt with the circumstances in Pike County the place Walker’s niece, Jana Bradford, the prosecuting attorney-elect, was considered one of Walker’s attorneys previously. In mild of her battle of curiosity and never understanding how lengthy the case would final, Turner was named particular prosecutor in Pike County.

In 1999, Walker misplaced his medical license. In response to an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on the time, Walker advised state Medical Board members then about his struggles with alcohol and melancholy that, in line with board information, led to his improperly touching an 8-year-old woman. He was later convicted of first-degree sexual abuse and sentenced to 5 years in jail.

The present case towards Walker started growing in June.

Costs towards Walker embrace rape; laptop exploitation of a kid within the first diploma; producing, directing or selling a sexual efficiency by a baby; participating youngsters in sexually express conduct to be used in visible or print medium; and distributing, possessing or viewing of matter depicting sexually express conduct involving a baby.

Police arrested Walker on June 9 after the primary allegations have been made to the Pike County sheriff’s workplace. A search of Walker’s residence led to the the seizure of seven firearms and a number of other thousand selfmade youngster pornography photographs, in addition to a number of thousand downloaded youngster pornography photographs, Turner stated.

Earlier than as we speak’s listening to, Walker confronted a complete of 34 counts of rape, 29 counts of laptop exploitation of a kid, 28 counts of manufacturing, directing, or selling a sexual efficiency by a baby, and 29 counts of participating youngsters in sexually express conduct to be used in visible or print medium. In complete, that was 132 felony counts.

Walker additionally was charged with simultaneous possession of medication and firearms, possession of firearms by a felon and possession of cocaine.

In 2004, Bradford, then representing her uncle, filed an software asking then-Gov. Mike Huckabee to pardon Walker. In that petition, Walker stated via Bradford, “I touched an 8-year-old youngster’s vaginal space with my hand then pulled her shorts down and pulled her again towards my lap with my denims unzipped.

“I would love a second probability to be a completely productive citizen of this state and apply drugs once more in rural Arkansas,” Walker added.

In 2018, Bradford filed one other petition, this time asking that Walker be faraway from the intercourse offender registry. However that effort was delayed because of a wanted reassessment, and earlier than it was pursued additional, Bradford give up representing Walker in 2020.

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