4 Child Predators Sentenced to 74 Years in Prison

FAYETTEVILLE – In a disturbing display of justice, four Northwest Arkansas men have been sentenced to a combined 74 years in federal prison for child exploitation offenses.

The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings, which were held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville. The defendants, each with their own heinous crimes, were brought to justice thanks to the tireless efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies.

Darlina Maree Jasso, 33, of Berryville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole for Transporting a Minor across State Lines to Engage in Sexual Activity. In May 2022, an officer with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigations after discovering that Jasso had transported a 15-year-old female from Missouri to her Berryville residence, with the intent of engaging in sexual activity with the minor.

Law enforcement found a surveillance video on Jasso’s phone capturing sexual activity between the two adults and the minor. Text message communications between Jasso and her boyfriend detailed their plan to bring the minor down from her home in Missouri and the sexual conduct they intended to engage in with the minor.

Charles Merchant, 32, of Berryville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 8.3 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole for Transporting Child Pornography. In August 2022, agents and task force officers with the Homeland Security Investigations received information that Merchant had uploaded images of child sexual abuse material to the social media platform KIK.

Aaron Hudson, 32, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole for Possession of Child Pornography. In December 2021, agents and task force officers with the Homeland Security Investigations received information that an individual had uploaded images of a child sexual abuse material to a website known to law enforcement as a platform for viewing and trading child pornography.

Nathan Scott Wright, 38, of Rogers, Arkansas, was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole for both Sexual Exploitation of a Minor via the Production of Child Pornography and Transporting Child Pornography. In October 2022, agents and task force officers with the FBI received information that Wright had uploaded images to Google servers of him sexually abusing an approximately 4-year-old female.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Williams prosecuted these cases on behalf of the United States as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation.

The sentences handed down to these four defendants serve as a stark reminder of the severity of child exploitation crimes and the dedication of law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to justice. As the nation grapples with the rising tide of child exploitation, it is imperative that we continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our children.

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