A former elementary school teacher convicted earlier this month on 10 felony counts involving child pornography was formally sentenced Monday morning in Garland County Circuit Court to 24 years in prison followed by a 10-year suspended sentence, when he will effectively be on parole.
Zachary Thomas Nehus, 43, was arrested Sept. 25, 2014, and originally charged with 30 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Special Prosecutor Will Jones withdrew 20 of the counts as part of a negotiated plea deal and Nehus pleaded guilty March 1 to the remaining 10 counts.
After a two-day hearing before Judge John Homer Wright, a six-man, six-woman jury recommended a sentence of three years in prison on eight of the counts and 10 years' probation on two of the counts, to run consecutively, which would have meant 24 years in prison and 20 years' probation.
Nehus was taken into custody immediately after the jury rendered its verdict and has remained in custody since then on zero bond pending Monday's hearing. He will now be transferred to the Arkansas Department of Correction.
It was explained to the jury that Nehus could be eligible for parole on his prison sentence after serving one-sixth, or four years, with the remaining 20 to be served on parole. On Monday, Wright sentenced Nehus to a total of 24 years in prison on the eight counts as recommended, but sentenced him to 10 years in prison, with the sentence suspended, on the two remaining counts, to run concurrently.
According to the arrest affidavit, special agents with the Arkansas attorney general's office had conducted an investigation into the possession and distribution of child pornography, which led them to Nehus' residence.
Pursuant to the execution of a search warrant, the agents made contact with Nehus admitted to downloading, viewing and collecting child porn. Forensic reviews of his computer and storage media revealed more than 40 videos of confirmed child porn and Nehus was taken into custody without incident.
Nehus, who lists no prior criminal history, was employed as a fourth-grade teacher at St. John's Catholic School, located at 583 W. Grand Ave., but resigned the day of his arrest.
He was later released on $75,000 bond pending trial.
Local on 03/22/2016