Sharp County, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — June 2, 2025 — The police chief of Hardy was arrested Monday night on multiple felony charges, including second degree sexual assault.
According to the online jail roster at the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office, Hardy police chief Scott Rose, 47, was charged second-degree sexual assault, knowingly furnishing alcohol to a minor, sexual indecency with a child and first degree endangering the welfare of a minor.
The Spring River Chronicle reports that Rose was questioned and detained at the FBI office in Jonesboro on a bench warrant. He was later taken back to the Sharp County Detention Center.
He was arrested at 8:04 p.m. He was released at 9:01 p.m., according to online jail records and then booked into the Independence County Jail.
According to a news release issued by Sharp County Sheriff Shane Russell, Rose’s arrest was a “multi-agency investigation.”
Around or on March 31, the sheriff’s office received information regarding “serious allegations regarding Chief Rose,” the release said. Lt. Cham Buchanan was assigned to begin a preliminary investigation.
“During initial interviews with individuals believed to have first-hand knowledge, investigators found that much of the early information appeared unsubstantiated and based on rumor. However, after interviewing the alleged victim and [their] family, disclosures were made detailing incidents of sexual contact and other forms of abuse that had not been previously reported,” the news release said.
The Sharp County Sheriff’s Office requested that Arkansas State Police and the Homeland Security Investigations assisted in the investigation, due to the serious nature of the allegations and Rose’s status as a local government official.
After this, the release said, the FBI contacted Russell and Buchanan about a related report. All agencies agreed to work together and launched a multi-agency investigation.
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the Arkansas State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their professionalism, diligence, and unwavering commitment throughout this investigation,” Russell said in the news release. “Their joint efforts were vital in ensuring a thorough, impartial, and just process. This case underscores the critical importance of interagency cooperation in addressing allegations of such a serious and sensitive nature.”
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains ongoing, and as a result, no further details would be released to protect the case’s integrity and the privacy of those involved.
Rose worked at the Jonesboro Police Department for 12 years. He was named as Hardy’s police chief in 2016.
Editor’s Note: Identifying information about the alleged victim, including gender, was removed to protect their privacy.
