Benton Courier - Sheridan coach arrested for sexual indecency

Bond was set at $10,000 in a Saline County court for a Sheridan School District golf coach who is charged with sexual indecency with a child.
James Randy Gatlin, 58, of Sheridan appeared at a bond hearing Friday in Saline County District Court in Benton before Judge Mike Robinson.
Robinson ordered that Gatlin is to have no contact with minors, except for members of Gatlin’s family; that the suspect is not to appear on any Sheridan School District campus; and that Gatlin is to stay off the Internet.
Gatlin was charged Wednesday after allegedly having sexually explicit Internet conversations with a person Gatlin believed to be a 13-year-old female. Instead, authorities said a Shannon Hills police officer was posing as the juvenile.
The conversations occurred between Nov. 29 and Dec. 12, according to authorities.
Authorities also said that Conway Police Department officials said Gatlin allegedly had sexually explicit conversations with a Conway officer who was posing as a 13-year-old female.
Conway police told Saline County authorities that they have evidence that Gatlin exposed himself to the undercover officer using an Internet camera, which also is known as a Web cam.
“When we found out (Gatlin) was a school teacher, we decided that we needed to get him away from the children he is around in the school,” Shannon Hills Police Chief Richard Friend said in explaining Gatlin’s arrest this week.
“We could have kept the investigation going and possibly charged him with a more serious crime, but we felt because he was around children that we needed to get him in custody as soon as we could. Because he works at a school, we just didn’t want to take the risk of him having any inappropriate relationships with any children.”
Friend said that when Sheridan police took Gatlin into custody, Gatlin allegedly admitted to authorities that he had used a Sheridan School District computer to engage in sexually explicit conversations with a person Gatlin believed to be a juvenile female.
The practice of engaging in sexual activity via the Internet also is known as “cyber sex,” according to authorities.
Sheridan police searched Gatlin’s residence and seized a laptop computer, Friend said.
Gatlin was booked into the Saline County jail on Wednesday on a charge of sexual indecency with a child. Friend said that Conway police are filing similar charges against Gatlin.
Friend said that federal immigration and customs enforcement officials are involved in the investigations of Gatlin. Friend did not specify why those officials are involved.
“Gatlin is a predator,” Friend said. “He was very graphic in the private chats and the Web cams were very graphic. He knew what he wanted and how he wanted it.
“Although he had contact on the Internet with what he thought was a young girl, we have no reason to believe that he had contact with students at the [Sheridan schools], just the Internet.
Friend added, however, that “because (Gatlin’s) position is as a coach ... and because one of our jobs is to protect the children, we felt it was necessary to remove him from that situation at this time.”
Authorities did not specify whether Gatlin teaches any courses in addition to coaching golf or whether Gatlin teaches or coaches any students younger than high school age.
It was not learned at press time whether Gatlin remained in jail or had posted bond.

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