FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Scott Royal, 38, a former Fayetteville firefighter was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Friday (Oct. 2) for one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity.
According to court records, In September of 2019, Royal responded to a Craigslist ad and began emailing with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 14-year-old female. Over the course of six days, Royal exchanged over 100 emails with the undercover officer, in which he discussed performed various sexual activities with who he believed was a minor.
Royal arranged a meeting with the undercover officer posing as a minor, according to court records. Royal was arrested upon arriving at the location. He was indicted by a federal grand jury and entered a guilty plea in February 2020.
Royal's arrest stemmed from a joint operation between Homeland Security Investigations, the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Arkansas State Police, and several local law enforcement agencies to target online sexual predators in Northwest Arkansas.