Tontitown church employee arrested after alleged possession of child abuse material
TONTITOWN, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — An employee at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Tontitown is on administrative leave following an investigation into alleged possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Fayetteville resident Paul Scouten, 39, the church’s office manager since August 2016, was arrested on April 10, according to a statement from the Diocese of Little Rock.
The diocese confirmed the arrest in a letter dated April 10, stating that Scouten, 39, was taken into custody by Arkansas State Police and faces one count of distributing, possessing or viewing child pornography.
He was booked into the Washington County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on May 7.
The diocese said that there is no evidence to suggest any children or youth from St. Joseph Parish or Ozark Catholic Academy were involved in the case. The investigation is ongoing, and the letter said that further updates will be sent out to parishoners as more information becomes available.
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Scouten has been placed on administrative leave and is barred from entering the church grounds while the investigation continues.
“As the investigation unfolds, we look forward to hopefully being able to reassure you that no children or students are involved,” the diocese stated in the letter.
The full letter can be read below.
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Anyone with information related to the allegations against Scouten is urged to contact the Arkansas State Police at (479) 783-5195. The Diocese of Little Rock’s policy on child sexual abuse allegations can be found on their website.
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