Man wants Supreme Court to weigh in on $1 million bond

BENTONVILLE — An Australian man arrested in an internet predator sting is taking his effort to reduce his $1 million cash bond to the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Gabriel Perkhofer, 45, is charged with internet stalking of a child, two counts of conspiracy to rape and two counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. He previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green denied Perkhofer’s request to lower his bond at a hearing last month.

Seth Irwin, Perkhofer’s attorney, filed a motion Monday of his intent to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.

Perkhofer was arrested in November after he arranged with an undercover detective to meet in Bentonville to have sex with two children, according to a probable cause affidavit. He is being held in the Benton County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.

Perkhofer was in Missouri visiting his girlfriend when he started communicating with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office detective, according to the affidavit.

A user identifying himself as “Lucky Fluke” sent the messages, and the detective identified Perkhofer as the person communicating with her, the affidavit states.

Perkhofer sent the detective an image of a nude prepubescent girl and a 10-second video clip of a man involved in a sex act with a girl, the affidavit states.

Perkhofer described to the detective the sexual acts he wanted to do with her children. He also wanted to take sexual photos of them, according to the affidavit.

He arranged to travel to Bentonville and wanted to meet the children’s mother first, then continue the sexual relationship with the family, the affidavit states.

Perkhofer was arrested when he arrived at the meeting location, according to the affidavit.