Former AR officer sentenced to 3 years for child sex crimes

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former Blytheville Police Department officer was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material.

David Cross was sentenced by Judge Scott Ellington on Thursday to 36 months behind bars. He pleaded guilty to 19 counts of distributing, possessing, and/or viewing materials depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.

Cross was arrested by the Arkansas State Police in March of this year. A search warrant was executed on his home at the time, where police seized “electronic devices and other evidence.”

Arkansas police officer fired, arrested after alleged child sex crimes

Cross was ultimately charged with 35 counts but pleaded guilty to only the 19.

“I highly respect Judge Ellington and the position he holds. It is not easy to make sentencing decisions. At the sentencing hearing the State fought for a 57-year sentence. I wholeheartedly believe that is the appropriate sentence for this crime,” said District Prosecuting Attorney Sonia Hagood.

David Cross was fired from the Blytheville Police Department shortly after he was arrested. He worked with the department for three years.

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