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Former Bentonville pastor pleads not guilty to child sex abuse charges

Keenan Hord was arrested on charges of sexual indecency with a child out of Benton County.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — A Benton County man has been arrested and faces charges of sexual indecency with a child. 

On Aug. 19, the Bentonville Police Department was notified by Arkansas State Police about a child abuse case reported by First Baptist Church. This led investigators to conduct a search warrant at a residence in Bentonville on the same day. 

Police issued a warrant for 32-year-old Keenan Hord on Aug. 23 for charges of sexual indecency with a child. Hord was arrested in Fayetteville on Aug. 25. 

After getting a search warrant for Hord's home, multiple electronics were seized. After the electronics were taken in as evidence, court records show Hord left his residence and did not return. 

Detectives recovered cell phone conversations from Hord's phone with potential victims, according to the documents.

At the time of Hord's arrest, documents show he had just left a Walmart store in Fayetteville where he purchased a TracFone, which is a prepaid phone.

According to court records, during a hearing on Friday, Aug. 26, it was revealed that through images on Hord's computer, investigators believe there could be 30 or more potential victims.

On Oct. 3, Hord pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sexual assault, three counts of distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child and sexual indecency with a child.

Hord is being held on a $500,000 bond in Benton County Jail.

This is an ongoing investigation and no further details have been released.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Bentonville Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, non-emergency number at (479) 271-3170.

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