By Ray King
A $75,000 bond was set Monday for a Jefferson County man accused of trying to arrange for sex with a developmentally disabled student.
Pine Bluff District Judge John Kearney set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Ben Franklin Taylor, 32, with criminal attempt rape and first-degree stalking.
Reading from an affidavit by White Hall Police Investigator Charles Treadway, Deputy Prosecutor Brittaney Akel said on April 9 at about 1:30 p.m., White Hall Police were notified by a teacher at the White Hall School that a special needs student had been receiving text messages from Taylor attempting to arrange to have sex with her.
The student told police she had met Taylor at a special Olympics event that she had taken part in.
On Friday the student received a text message from Taylor arranging to meet for sex at the Jefferson Regional Behavioral Healthcare Center.
Taylor was ordered to have no contact with the victim and told to come back to court June 2.
