A Newport man has been sentenced to 175 years in prison after being found guilty of pandering/possessing child pornography.

According to a release from Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the Third Judicial District John Pettie, on Nov. 9, George D. Bales, 50, appeared in Jackson County Circuit Court before Judge Rob Ratton.

The charges stemmed from a joint investigation of the Arkansas State Police and Newport Police Department.

“It is this type of diligent, coordinated and team driven investigation that has led to child predators being sentenced to hundreds of years in the Department of Corrections, just within the last month,” Pettie said. “Prosecuting those that would seek to harm our children, remains the top priority of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.”

He then went on to thank law enforcement and others who work to protect the children of Arkansas.

“You have my gratitude, my respect and my admiration,” Pettie said. “To all of you who fight that fight, thank you.”

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Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.