Man arraigned on added porn count

Earlier charges are stalking, extortion

A Pope County man indicted on federal charges of stalking and extortion was arraigned Tuesday in federal court on an additional count of production of child pornography contained in a superseding indictment filed last week.

Jerry Lee Honaker III, 27, of Russellville, was indicted Sept. 8 on federal charges of stalking and extortion and was arrested on Nov. 3 at his home in Russellville, according to court records. U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe Volpe, the records showed, released Honaker to the custody of his grandfather, Jerry Lee Honaker Sr., also of Russellville. He was arrested again on Nov. 28 at the federal courthouse when he arrived there for a meeting with pre-trial services, after a search of his phone turned up evidence of child pornography, according to the records.

Honaker, who is currently detained in the Pulaski County jail following revocation of his bond, was arraigned Tuesday on an additional count of production of child pornography that resulted from the examination of his cell phone by federal investigators.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bryant did not initially oppose Honaker’s release at a Nov. 4 bond hearing but asked for a number of restrictions to ensure his internet and telephone use would be strictly curtailed or closely monitored by the U.S. Probation Office to ensure the security of any victims or witnesses in the case.

Honaker’s bond was revoked by U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe Volpe on Dec. 1 at a detention hearing set following his arrest four days earlier. Despite emotional testimony from Honaker’s grandfather, Jerry Lee Honaker Sr., also of Russellville — who had been appointed his grandson’s third-party custodian at the Nov. 4 bond hearing — Volpe ordered the younger Honaker taken into custody after ruling that he and his attorney, KenDrell Collins of the Federal Public Defenders Office in Little Rock, had failed to overcome the presumption of detention the most recent charge held.

If convicted on the production of child pornography count, Honaker could be sentenced to a maximum term of 30 years in prison. The charge carries a minimum prison term of 15 years upon conviction. He also faces as much as 10 years in prison on the internet stalking count and two years on the extortion count if convicted.

Volpe said the matter is currently set for trial before U.S. District Judge Kristine G. Baker on July 10 of next year and is estimated to require three days for the government to put on its case.