Photo: Preston Harmon
After five continuances, the trial of an Izard County native and former coach in Jonesboro is set for Nov. 29 – Dec. 3 in the Western District Criminal Division of Craighead County Circuit Court. Three of the continuances were granted based on the coronavirus pandemic and the governor’s directive banning gatherings of more than 10 people.
Thirty-year-old Preston Harmon is charged with felony counts of internet stalking of a child, computer child pornography and sexual indecency of a child.
The charges follow his arrest in August last year.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Aug. 15, 2020, Jonesboro officers responded to possible suicide threats.
Upon arrival, they made contact with Harmon “who was very upset.”
He advised officers he was a local school teacher, and he had been sending “sexually explicit” messages to a former juvenile female student.
In an interview with detectives, the juvenile female advised Harmon had been sending the inappropriate messages for several months, beginning at the end of 2019.
She advised several different types of “messenger platforms” were used in their communication.
In an interview with detectives, Harmon allegedly admitted to sending and receiving messages of a “sexually explicit” nature to the female. He also reportedly admitted to “sexting” and sending a message containing a “sexually explicit” photo to the juvenile.
Harmon was a standout athlete and a 2012 graduate of Izard County High School in Brockwell. He later joined the golf team at Central Baptist College in Conway. At the time of his arrest, he was listed online as the boys’ basketball coach at Valley View Junior High School and a physical education teacher at Valley View Intermediate Blue School (fifth and sixth grades). He was previously employed at the Bay School District.
Online court documents indicate Harmon is represented by attorneys Bill Stanley of Stanley and Woodard and Mark Rees of the Rees Law Firm, both of Jonesboro.
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