Sex offender facing new child porn charge

Area man was on probation after 2013 conviction

photo

/

Sara Williams Cowell

A registered sex offender serving probation in Arkansas for Internet stalking of a child appeared in a Texarkana federal court last week on a child pornography charge.
Nolen Reece Baker, 41, of Lockesburg, Ark., appeared for arraignment Friday in Texarkana's downtown federal building before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Bryant on a single count of accessing the Internet with the intent to view child pornography. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wulff filed a motion asking that Baker remain in jail while his case proceeds to trial.
Bryant granted the motion but set the case for a detention hearing Thursday at the request of Federal Public Defender Tiffany Fields. Wulff's motion noted the case involves the exploitation of children and a need to protect the community.
An indictment, handed down Jan. 27 by a federal grand jury in the Texarkana Division of the Western District of Arkansas and unsealed Friday, accuses Baker of accessing a computer with the intent to view child pornography from May 1, 2013, to April 28, 2014. The government included a notice in Baker's indictment of its intent to seek his forfeiture of a Dell Inspiron laptop computer and a Seagate external hard drive.
Court records show Baker was assessed a 60-month term of probation in October 2013 in Dallas County, Ark., for Internet stalking of a child and is required to register as a sex offender as result of the felony conviction.
Baker is scheduled to return to federal court in Texarkana on Thursday for a detention hearing before Bryant to determine if he will remain behind bars or be free while his case proceeds. Fields is anticipated to argue that Baker is not a flight risk, will appear as scheduled in court, and that he is not a threat to community safety. Wulff is likely to point to Baker's prior record and the nature of the current alleged offense. Either side may call witnesses to offer testimony in support of their position.
[email protected]

Upcoming Events