A 21-year-old Oxford man has been charged with felony internet stalking after the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division notified the Izard County Sheriff’s Department that Ricky Rushing was making inappropriate comments to a 15-year-old girl. Investigators Tyler Webb and Sean Tomlinson spoke with the girl, identified as Witness 1 in the affidavit, who said she had unfriended Rushing on Snapchat and a friend had told her he was “pedophile-ish.”
Rushing had attempted to add her as a friend on Snapchat again, and Witness 1’s mother gave officers consent to use the daughter’s cellphone and assume her online presence on social media apps and any other necessary cell phone functions.
After gaining control of Witness 1’s cell phone and accepting a friend request that Rushing sent Witness 1 on Snapchat, Investigator Webb responded to the last message from Rushing and a dialogue began on Facebook Messenger.
Rushing inquired as to her age and Webb responded, “I’m 15, why?” Rushing then said she was a little young and was sorry for bothering her. Webb then asked Rushing how old he was, and he replied, “21” and he didn’t just have sex with anyone. According to court documents, this was the first sexual comment made between Rushing and Investigator Webb.
Rushing first asked Witness 1 to meet him at Subway then asked Witness 1 to come to his house at Oxford. Later in the conversation, Rushing sent a photo in the chat of himself standing in front of the mirror wearing only underwear and after some more explicit sexual chat, Rushing then said they should meet at the Oxford City Park. It was finally agreed they would meet at Dollar General.
Investigators Tomlinson and Webb were at the meeting location in an unmarked vehicle when a black Ford truck believed to be Rushing slowly approached the driveway and at the last-minute drove past. Rushing then texted he had changed his mind and was not coming to the designated meeting area.
Investigator Webb noted that Ricky Dale Rushing was fully aware that he was speaking to a 15-year-old female. “Rushing asked the age of Witness 1 and Investigator Webb replied, ‘I am 15.'” Rushing was arrested Tuesday for internet stalking which is a class B felony. Bond was set at $50,000. Additional charges are pending.
