Four men who allegedly believed they were lining up meetings with minors for sex instead walked into the arms of law enforcement in White County, Arkansas. The October 23 operation has already produced Class Y felony charges, bonds as high as $250,000, and an arrest warrant for a fifth person whose name has not been made public.
According to KAIT 8, the arrests followed an operation targeting adults who were attempting to meet minors for the purpose of sexual acts but were instead met by law enforcement officers and arrested. Arkansas Radio, relaying White County Sheriff's Office information, reports the suspects came from Judsonia, Beebe, Benton and Maryland.
Who Was Charged and What Bonds Were Set
On October 26, Judge Mark Pate found probable cause to charge each of the four with internet stalking of a child, a Class Y felony, KAIT reports. The men are Charles Allen of Judsonia, Gordon Michaelis, 40, of Beebe, Dodi Diana, 49, of Maryland, and Hunter Cox, 23, of Benton.
Allen's age is reported inconsistently. KAIT lists him as 58, while KATV identified him as 48.
Per KARK, Judge Pate set bonds at $250,000 for Diana, $125,000 for Cox, and $75,000 each for Michaelis and Allen. The station also reports that authorities said the suspects believed they were communicating with minors online and arranging meetings, but instead encountered law enforcement officers.
Immigration Detainer and an Arrest Outside the County
The same report says Diana, an Indonesian national, is also the subject of an immigration detainer for allegedly overstaying his visa. That immigration matter is separate from the criminal allegation tied to the undercover operation.
Not every arrest happened inside White County. KAIT notes that Cox was arrested outside the county by other agencies, based on evidence gathered by the sheriff's office.
Fifth Suspect Still Unnamed
An arrest warrant has also been issued for a fifth person, whose name was not included in the announcement, according to NEA Report. Authorities have not released when or where that person might be arrested, and the investigation remains an active law enforcement matter.
As NEA Report points out, all suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Agencies Behind the Operation
The White County Sheriff's Office was joined by a long list of partners, KARK reports. The investigation drew on the FBI Little Rock Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Little Rock, the Arkansas State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and police departments in Searcy, Van Buren and Jonesboro. The operation was directed by Sheriff Phillip Miller and Chief Deputy Clayton Edwards, and the sheriff's office described it as an example of its proactive approach to protecting children in White County and surrounding Arkansas communities.
A Statewide Pattern
The case lands amid sharply rising numbers. In a report on 2025 figures, KARK says Arkansas State Police investigators recorded 391 sextortion cases last year, a 118% increase over 2024. Reports of online enticement before in-person contact surged to 5,653 cases, up nearly 490%.
White County is not the only place where a similar operation has played out this month. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that a Fayetteville operation, run with Homeland Security Investigations and state task forces, ended in 11 arrests on charges of internet stalking of a child.
