From witness
interviews and Probable Cause Affidavits
A Hardy man who has been the subject of a criminal investigation since January and the subject of two previous ones dating back to 2011was finally arrested on Nov. 9.
Jack Huffmaster, Jr., 59, was officially charged with seven counts of Rape-a Class Y Felony; each punishable by 40 years to life in prison; six counts of Sexual Assault, a Class B Felony, each punishable by five to twenty years and three counts of Battery, Class A Misdemeanors.
In the case that led to the charges, the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department was notified of a female victim being treated at the White River Health Systems Emergency Room in Cherokee Village on Jan. 29. The victim told the police she had been raped earlier that day and had been raped and sexually and physically assaulted multiple times and in multiple manners by Huffmaster dating back to March of 2019.
Initially, Sharp County Detective Cham Buchanan, took the lead on the case and spent countless hours on it, including identifying two more subjects who were also identified as victims of Huffmaster, including one who had turned him in to law enforcement for alleged sexual offenses in 2011. Buchanan also attempted to gain access to files from two previous cases with the same victims that were never prosecuted.
During the course of her investigation, she uncovered documentation regarding an item or items purchased on Huffmaster’s credit card that were utilized in the rape of one of the victims. None of the requested documents regarding the past allegations could not be located by the departments that worked them when Buchanan requested them.
She later presented her case file to Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Pettie in March hoping to get a warrant for Huffmaster. Pettie said the case file was “partial” and requested a full file. “It is the policy of the Third Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s office to require a full case file before the filing of any case,” Pettie explained. Pettie did not explain what defines a “complete case file” versus an incomplete one to Buchanan, as there were several documents included in what was turned in to Pettie.
Buchanan left the department in late March or early April to work for the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division. She left her file with the sheriff’s department for prosecution at that time she took the other job.
Huffmaster was finally arrested on Nov. 9, nearly seven months later after her investigation, and less than two weeks after Sheriff-Elect and Chief Deputy Shane Russell was made aware of the aging case that had never been sent to the prosecutors office.
Huffmaster, was taken into custody by the Hardy Police Department at his attorney, James Gift’s, office after a warrant was finally issued for his arrest the same day. It is apparent Huffmaster was tipped off by someone to his impending arrest because he was visiting his attorney, very shortly after the warrant was issued and had taken a personal day off from work.
This is much the same as when the search warrant was initially served on his home last spring. Huffmaster was not home at the time, but showed up with his attorney during the execution.
The 2011 case was worked by the Hardy Police Department under Chief Ernie Rose and another case a few years later was reported by another of the same victims. Former Sharp County investigator Aaron Presser worked that case. Buchanan sought the files from those to strengthen her case and establish a behavior pattern related to the repeated sexual claims by victims over the years. The 2011 victim reported alleged sexual abuse and or rape to the Hardy Police Department in the same year. Huffmaster allegedly managed to avoid prosecution after the victim recanted the story due to threats by Huffmaster.
Within the probable cause affidavit, Det. Sgt. Cody Bailey stated, “The investigation by this office has uncovered a history and pattern of abused suffered by the victims at the hands of Huffmaster for more than ten years. Great lengths were undertaken to keep the victims discredited, and stymie the efforts of law enforcement to uncover the truth of what had been taking place.”
The other two witnesses told similar stories to the first and indicated dates they were also raped, as well as locations.
While Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children took the January report, the case was never turned over to the Arkansas State Police’s Criminal Investigation Division by the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department as is done in almost all other sexual assault or rape cases filed in the county. Buchanan worked on the case until she took the new job, leaving what little was left for completion of the case to Bailey.
The probable cause affidavit for warrant for arrest was completed by Bailey on Oct 26, over ten months after the alleged crime. Russell worked hard after being made aware was made aware to ensure Huffmaster was arrested and brought to justice.
Huffmaster’s bond was set at a quarter million dollars on Nov. 10 and he remains jailed.