A police officer who faced serious charges of possessing child sexual abuse material received a significantly shorter sentence than what the prosecutor had requested on Thursday.
A 26-year-old man from Blytheville, David Paul Cross, has recently pleaded guilty to 19 counts related to distributing, possessing, or viewing explicit material involving a child. Judge Scott Ellington decided to sentence Cross to 36 months in community corrections. Cross was also given a ten-year Suspended Imposition of Sentence (SIS).
On March 12, 2024, Cross was taken into custody by Arkansas State Police following the execution of a search warrant at his residence for electronic devices. During that period, he served as an officer with the Blytheville Police Department. He was promptly terminated by the department.
With potential sentences ranging from three to 10 years for each charge, Cross could have faced a maximum consecutive sentence of up to 190 years. The prosecutor, Sonia F. Hagood, requested a sentence of 57 years, which equates to three years for each charge. Cross would have been eligible for parole after nine and a half years.
Instead, Cross will face a maximum sentence of three years. After serving one-sixth of the sentence, which amounts to six months, he will become eligible for parole as reported by NEA Report.
Cross had a clean record, resulting in a criminal history score of 0 as per the sentencing guidelines. He might have received a sentence of community corrections or probation. Judge Ellington handed down a 36-month sentence to him, which is technically longer than the expected sentence.