FROM POLICEAND COURTDOCUMENTATION
A fourteen year old virgin female wasn’t who a 51 year-old Sharp County man was met with when he traveled from his home in Poughkeepsie to Siloam Springs around 10:30 p.m. on May 26. Jerry Riggs was instead met with blue lights and handcuffs as he learned very quickly he was part of an online sting operation conducted by the Siloam Springs Police Department to crack down on Internet stalking of children. Riggs had been communicating with who he thought to be a fourteen year old female child he was planning to bring to his home near Cave City for a week of sex, according to information in the probable cause affidavit. Jerry Riggs, 51, of219 West Prosperity Road in Poughkeepsie, Ark. was instead met by Siloam Springs Police Department Detective Ron Coble who conducted a felony traffic stop and took him into custody. The case began when Riggs went onto a website known as a place where adults go to meet younger teenagers. The detective posing as a 14 year old girl received a private message from a username of Jerry Riggs. During the conversation, the “girl” advised Riggs she was only 14 or almost 15 years old. He told “her” in the conversation that ..“14 will get me 30 but if you are sure we are not going get in trouble, I would love to if I am your first especially,” according to the probably cause affidavit used to set Riggs $200,000 bond. After advising Riggs of “her” age, he continued to tell her he wanted to meet her to have sex, using very detailed and vulgar language as well as sending her a sexually explicit photo. Riggs told the “teen” he wanted to pick her up in Siloam Springs, which is over four hours from his home near Cave City for “her” to stay a week with him. Riggs even made references to possibly impregnating the “teen”. He first wanted to pick up the “girl” on May 20, but the officer instead setup a May 26 date and provided the location of the proposed meeting as well as informing the “teen” what type of vehicle he would be driving. On May 26, the day Riggs set to meet the “teen” he continued to text her very explicit sexual messages and told “her” what time he would pick “her” up, even advising of a delay on his route. Det. Coble noted in his report that Riggs was given ample opportunities to back out, or change the meeting date due to the late night, he did not. He was instead insistent, telling “her”, “I really want us to do this tonight.” When Riggs arrived near at the arranged location, he was stopped driving the Toyota Camry he advised he would be driving and was taken into custody and taken to the Benton County Jail. After being Mirandized by Det. Coble, Riggs told the detective he was only there to protect her and take her back to her grandmother. He admitted to sending a photo of male genitalia to the “teen” and telling her he was going to have sex with her. He was charged on May 30 with Internet Stalking of a Child, a Class Y Felony, the highest felony charge possible with a range of punishment from 40 years to life in prison. Riggs was also charged with Sexual Indecency with a child, a Class D Felony. Bond was set at $150,000 and Riggs is ordered to appear in court on July 3 at 8 a.m. According to court documents, Riggs also has a previous criminal history including Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of an Instrument of Crime
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