PEA RIDGE (KFSM)- A Pea Ridge man was arrested Thursday (June 11) on suspicion of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Francisco Jose Espinoza-Hernandez, 28, had multiple images of child pornography on his computer and digital media, as well as animal porn, which the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said is not illegal to watch.
On April 6, 2013, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Division was conducting investigations into the sharing of child pornography files on a publicly available peer-to-peer file sharing network and identified a computer, later linked to Hernandez, as a potential source for at lest 10 files of interest, according to the affidavit.
Detectives executed a search warrant on Hernandez’s listed residence on Washburn Drive on November 13, 2013 where they found a computer and hard drives with multiple images and videos of child pornography on them, the affidavit states. Detectives were also able to locate certain search terms that may have been used by Hernandez including: beastialitgirl, children naked, incest and teenager nude, according to the affidavit.
The images and videos depicted sexually explicit activities involving unknown victims ranging in estimated ages from two to 17 years old, the affidavit states.
On May 26, 2015, investigators interviewed Hernandez at his residence, which he shared with his sister-in-law and her sister, according to the affidavit. The investigators told Hernandez what they found on his computer and hard drives and the suspect told them he only does computer work for his family in the U.S. and in Mexico, the affidavit states. When investigators told Hernandez they found child pornography on his computer he acknowledged it and then later asked if he could call his lawyer, according to the affidavit.
On June 11, an arrest warrant was issued for Hernandez and after investigators failed to find him at his home or his place of employment, the two women admitted Hernandez was staying at a different address until he could get enough money to go to Mexico, the affidavit states.
Authorities requested a $250,000 bond for Hernandez because he may be a flight risk, according to the affidavit. Hernandez is being held at the Benton County Detention Center.
