Skip to main content

HIGHFILL MAYOR RESIGNS AND IS ARRESTED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES AFTER TWO MONTH INVESTIGATION




Highfill Mayor Stacy Digby was arrested this morning in connection with having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, according to Sgt. Shannon Jenkins with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

In January, the Benton County Sheriff's Office announced it was investigating Digby on the possibility of an inappropriate relationship between him and a juvenile.

Digby, 44, faces felony charges of sexual indecency with a child and first-degree sexual assault.



Digby resigned this morning shortly before being arrested. Stacie Williamson, the Highfill recorder/treasurer, will now serve as interim mayor.






Russ Hall, the pastor, told investigators the leadership position is similar to that of an elder in other denominations, adding that lay leaders often represent the Methodist church at state and national events, according to a probable cause affidavit.

It is believed that the juvenile attended services at the church and Digby had contact with her there. 

HIGHFILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND ITS PASTOR, RUSS HALL


Residents had approached city officials about concerns over the mayor’s relationship with the girl, which began in 2014, according to the affidavit.

Residents reported recently seeing the girl sitting on Digby’s lap at a bowling alley. Another time a Highfill officer found the girl in the mayor’s office around 1 a.m., according to the affidavit.

Highfill Police Chief Blake Webb asked for an outside agency to investigate, and the sheriff’s office opened an investigation in January.

 
HIGHFILL POLICE CHIEF BLAKE WEBB

On January 10th, the sheriff’s office searched Digby’s home on Linwood Street, where they found pictures of the girl, her clothes and medication.

DIGBY'S HOME IS NEXT DOOR TO THE HIGHFILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

One of the girl’s siblings later told deputies that Digby would come to their house late at night and once sent the girl a picture of his genitals, according to the affidavit.

Digby is being held at the Benton County Jail with no bond set. He has a hearing set for May 7th in Benton County Circuit Court.




Popular posts from this blog

Bryant High School teacher accused of sexual misconduct with a student

The Bryant Police Department confirms an on-going investigation of a now former Bryant teacher, Heather Danielle (Hall) Hare. Hare (age 32) has been accused of sexual contact with a student.  Hare was featured on ABC Good Morning America in May 2020 when a course she taught was discontinued during the pandemic. At this point no details of the alleged illegal conduct have been released. Earlier today the school district posted this on a Bryant Schools Facebook page. According to on-line school board records, Hare submitted her resignation effective April 1, 2023.     Hare is married and is a resident of Conway, AR. KATV featured the Hare family in another story on October 31, 2022. Stay tuned for updates. KTHV featured Hare's daughter in several newscasts . ### ***UPDATE 04/06/23*** Bryant PD provided us with their initial report dated March 31, 2023. ***UPDATE 04/07/23*** Sources report that the Bryant High School football player involved in an "entanglement"

Three LRPD cops "relieved of duty" over incident at Club Trois

Sources at LRPD have confirmed a tip we received that three LRPD cops, Brad Stewart, Lee Pitts and Justin Sims have been "relieved of duty" in connection with an incident at Club Trois. The story we were told is that Stewart was working off-duty at Club Trois and dealt with an inebriated female club patron by soaking her with pepper spray.  LRPD General Order  ("G.O.") 303 requires that a cop that uses physical force, non-lethal control and compliance devices, on or off-duty, follow certain procedures. Use of pepper spray is a Level 4 event. Here are the specific procedures. LRPD sources tell us that they are trained to call MEMS after they use pepper spray or a taser on an individual. They are to file an incident report and they file an officer's report or letter form (5600-2) with their immediate supervisor for each use of force incident. Here's an example of an officer letter form.   Not a single procedure was followed in this incident. And to make matter

Pulaski County Department headed by State Senator Fred Love is in trouble.

By Russ Racop On July 31st we broke the story that there was an internal investigation afoot at the Pulaski County office of Community Services.   A recipient of Section 8 HVC vouchers contacted us on that same day for assistance and we began our investigation.   Her landlord contacted her and told her she had three days to get out of her apartment because she had fraudulently obtained assistance.    The landlord had been contacted by Love's staff before she had. She didn't understand what was going on because she just moved into the apartment and had been vetted and approved for assistance by Love's department. It's not the first time someone has reached out to us about Fred Love and that county department.  Love also serves in the state legislature as a Senator. We have received allegations and some records about sexual and workplace harassment, malfeasance and misuse of county resources involving Love. We immediately called the number listed on that rent payment noti