Michigan man receives 40 years in federal prison for child sex crimes in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – A registered sex offender from Michigan who traveled to Arkansas to sexually assault a child was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in a federal prison.

In a trial in January, a jury found Jeremy Robert Ward, 33, guilty of one count of interstate travel with the intent to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct with a minor, six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receiving child pornography and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

According to federal prosecutors, Ward met the 12-year-old victim online in September 2022 when he added her to his Snapchat account. He exchanged messages with her for about three weeks before traveling from his home in Marine City, Michigan, to Arkansas to meet.

On October 15, 2022, he met the child in person in her neighborhood when he drove his car toward her while she was riding her bike. During her encounter with Ward, the victim was able to record part of the conversation.

Prosecutors said Ward could be heard saying, “I was hoping to take you home,” and the victim must be “thinking I’m going to kidnap you or something,” to which the victim replied, “You’re probably in the process of doing that right now.”

Officials said Ward then asked the victim if he knew of any “private places” to find a more secluded location.

Around the same time, the victim’s father was using an app on the child’s phone and noticed that she was outside of her allowed range.

The parents told investigators that they went to her home and found their daughter lying on the ground with Ward. Ward had pulled his pants down around his ankles. Then he ran into the woods.

Federal prosecutors said the victim testified in court that Ward attempted to perform sexual acts on her while she was in the field with him. Investigators later found messages from the victim on Ward’s phone, including videos and still images of her showing her nude.

In addition to his 40-year prison sentence, Ward was sentenced to life probation.

Ward was previously convicted in Michigan in 2013 of three counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and molestation of a child for immoral purposes.

The investigation was conducted by the Bryant Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Amanda Fields.