Update 4:20 p.m.:
Jeffery Scott Ladyman was released from the Craighead County Detention Center at 3:30 p.m. after posting bond, according to online jail records.
Previously:
Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — May 2, 2025 — The son of a Northeast Arkansas legislator faces several charges after police said he filmed a child undressing and sexually assaulted them on other occasions.
Judge Tommy Fowler found probable cause to charge 42-year-old Jeffrey Scott Ladyman with one count of crime of video voyeurism, one count of distributing, possessing, or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, and one count of sexual indecency with a child.
According to the affidavit, on Nov. 18, 2024, special agents with Arkansas State Police got a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The cybertip stated a video was taken from a hidden camera inside the victim’s bedroom. In it, the victim entered the bedroom in a towel, changed clothes, and left the room. Jeffrey’s wife said he went into the room and got the camera afterwards.
On Dec. 3, 2024, ASP agents interviewed Jeffrey’s wife about the incident. She said three reports had been made on him, and she had found some items in his email in June 2024 when she went to his workplace to print a shipping label.
The affidavit stated that the wife started going through his email and found videos sent from his phone of the victim in the bedroom. The wife said that when she confronted him about it, Jeffrey did not deny anything and said he thought he’d deleted the videos.
On March 6, ASP agents received a report of an interview conducted the previous month with the victim and a family member, confirming the incident, adding that Jeffrey sometimes would molest them.
A news release from ASP stated that Jeffrey turned himself in at the Troop C Headquarters on May 1, around 2:30 p.m. He was taken to the Craighead County Detention Center.
Representing the state, district prosecuting attorney Bryce Cook said Ladyman’s lawyer, Mark Rees, and chief deputy prosecuting attorney Jessica Thomason agreed to set Jeffrey’s bail at $35,000 cash/surety. Jeffrey was also ordered to not only have no contact with the victim, but with all minors.
“Do not play around with my no-contact order,” Fowler said. “If there is an allegation between now and your court date, the prosecutor has the right to file a petition to revoke your bond. If that happens, you can end up right back in jail.”
Judge Fowler also ordered Jeffrey to have no access to the internet.
Among those present during the hearing was his father, Rep. Jack Ladyman. When the judge asked if either him or Jeffrey had a message for each other, they did not give one.
Jeffrey’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 27.
