From Probable Cause Affidavit and Court Records
A Sharp County woman was arrested yesterday on charges related to child sexual exploitation. Rebecca Huffmaster, 30, had her first appearance this afternoon before Judge Mark Johnson. She has been charged with sexually grooming a child, a Class D Felony, and two counts of conspiracy to committ rape or have sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 years of age, a Class A Felony. Her bond has been set at $100,000 cash or professional.
On March 13, Jesse Wilson, 34, also of Cherokee Village and a neighbor to Huffmaster, who is her co-conspirator in the case, was arrested on charges related to the case. Wilson, who is a registered Level Three sex offender, was charged with possession of computer child pornography and possession of firearms by a certain person, indicating the person is a convicted felon and can’t legally possess firearms. Information contained within the Probable Cause Affidavit indicate Wilson admitted in messages with Huffmaster that he has been to prison for child sex charges in the past. This proves Huffmaster knew of his status as a sex offender, yet continued to converse with him and plan ways to groom children for sexual encounters with them. Other charges are also pending against Wilson in the case. We will update the story when they are filed.
Court documents in today’s Pre-Adjudication No-Contact Order handed down by Judge Mark Johson in Huffmaster’s case state that in the event she makes bond, she can have no contact with Jesse Wilson or any other person under the age of 19 unless in the presence of a Department of Human Services representative.
The case came about after Wilson’s cell phone was seized following an investigation by the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children’s Internet Task Force. Wilson’s phone contained 40 child sexual assault and beastiality photos. This search also revealed over 15,000 messages on a “Telegram” messaging app between Wilson and Huffmaster with multiple references to both wishing to particpate in and working to prepare young victims, under the age of 14 for various types of sexual activity and references and details in ways to rape a baby. The conversations took place between September and December of 2024
The case was investigated by Arkansas State Police’s (ASP) Criminal Investigation Divison of the agency’s Internet Crimes Against Children Division’s Task Force by Special Agent Rodney Villiger and Homeland Security Investigator and Task Force Officer Cpl. Ted Shaffer, who also works for the Harrison Police Department and interviewed Huffmaster at her home.
Evidence that led to the probable cause and issuing of Huffmaster’s warrant and her arrest was gathered from a search warrant of Wilson’s cell phone after his arrest. Subsequently, information provided by Huffmaster in a Post-Miranda interview with Shaffer at her home was also used to establish Probable Cause in the case. Huffmaster admitted to Shaffer that she said the things alleged in the messages being referenced about planning the sexual assaults of young children. The affidavit also states that Huffmaster admitted to deleting the messages from her phone when Wilson was arrested in March.
Other information after the initial posting of this news article indicates another male had also had similar conversations with Huffmaster in the past and ceased communication with her as a result. Court records show that Wilson was convicted of eight counts of sexual assault of a child and extortion.
Huffmaster and Wilson remain incarcerated in lieu of bonds at the Sharp County Detention Center. Huffmaster has a June 23 court date in the case.
