Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Rogers man accused of rape, possessing child pornography
BENTONVILLE — A Rogers man was arrested after police found videos of three children being sexually abused, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Michael Henderson LeClaire, 33, was being held Wednesday in the Benton County Jail on a $100,000 bond. He was arrested last week in connection with rape and 20 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.
Prosecutors haven’t filed formal charges against LeClaire.
Rogers police began to investigate July 2 after they received a tip from the Arkansas State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The tip concerned a report from SnapChat a user uploaded a nude image of a 12- to 14-year-old girl, according to the affidavit.
Police were able to trace the phone number on the account back to LeClaire, according to the affidavit.
Police received a second tip July 14 from the task force concerning Instagram reporting apparent child pornography uploaded on the site. The image showed the rape of a 1to 3-year-old child, according to the affidavit.
Instagram reported the account holder’s name was
Mike, the affidavit states.
LeClaire told police his SnapChat account had been deactivated, and he said the last time he used his Instagram account was in February or March, according to the affidavit.
Police obtained a search warrant for LeClaire’s cellphone. A detective reviewed the files and found more than 150 videos containing child sexual abuse, according to the affidavit.
Police suspect LeClaire is the man in one of the videos sexually assaulting a 1- to-3year-old boy. Police believe LeClaire also recorded himself raping a sleeping 5-yearold boy in another video, the affidavit states.
LeClaire told police he recorded himself sexually assaulting two children he was baby-sitting while in Missouri, according to the affidavit.
Police believe the sexual assault of the 5-year-old happened in Rogers, according to the affidavit.
His arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 8 in Circuit Judge Robin Green’s courtroom.
Tracy M. Neal can be reached by email at tneal@nwaonline.com or Twitter @NWATracy.