Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointee resigns after documents reveal he had sex with a minor
A man Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed to serve on the state's parole board — and whom was later elected as chair — has since abruptly resigned from his position in the wake of new revelations about his past.
On Friday, Little Rock, Arkansas ABC affiliate KTV reported that Jamol Jones resigned from his post as chair of the Arkansas Parole Board after documents surfaced showing that he was fired from the Benton, Arkansas police department in 2018 for lying about having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Jones was 29 at the time, according to the Arkansas Advocate. As chair of the parole board, Jones also served on the Arkansas Board of Corrections, giving him influence over the state's prison system.
Documents from an internal investigative review of the incident show that Jones "changed his story from only talking to the juvenile to having oral sex and then admitted to having full sexual relations with her," and that he lied because he was "embarrassed and scared."
The Advocate reported that a spokeswoman for Huckabee Sanders' office didn't elaborate on whether they knew of Jones' past before his appointment, only stating that he "bravely served our nation in the Army and protected his community as a police officer providing him with the experience and knowledge to serve on the Post-Prison Transfer Board and the Board of Corrections."
Despite resigning, Jones — whom Sanders first appointed in January of 2023 — stood by his claim that the sex was consensual given that the age of consent in Arkansas is 17.
"I did not break any laws, no charges were filed, but I made a mistake. I’ve asked God and my families forgiveness for, and I take full responsibility for my actions," Jones stated. "I am proud of my service to our country and our state, and the support of my wife and family."
Jones reportedly met the girl at a local gym, and maintained to investigators that he believed the girl was 18 years old. He did not allow investigators to search his phone.
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Click here to read KATV's full report.
