Ashdown Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

A 26-year-old man from Ashdown has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to the possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Bine Ray Whisenhunt, who entered his guilty plea on December 3, was convicted on four counts of possessing explicit material involving children. Each charge carries a 10-year sentence, totaling 40 years in prison. Six additional charges were suspended as part of the plea agreement. Upon his release, Whisenhunt will be required to register as a Level IV sex offender.

The case stems from a federal investigation initiated in January 2024, when the FBI received a cyber tip about suspicious activity linked to Whisenhunt’s phone. The tip, which indicated that over 200 images depicting child sexual abuse were uploaded from his device, led to a federal search warrant being issued for his residence in Ashdown on January 24.

Whisenhunt was initially charged with 10 felony counts, including distributing, possessing, or viewing material depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. The investigation was jointly conducted by the Ashdown Police Department and the FBI.

Whisenhunt was arrested and held on a $250,000 bond at the Little River County Detention Center. His sentencing serves as a significant outcome in the ongoing fight against child exploitation, emphasizing the severe legal consequences for those involved in the distribution and possession of CSAM.