WILSON, Ark. — Justin Brister, 23, is accused of sexually assaulting several different minors in Osceola and Wilson, Arkansas. Investigators haven’t said if they’re boys or girls but tell us their ages range from nine to 14.
Police said Brister, a former school employee and volunteer firefighter, lives in Wilson, on Dogwood Street where neighbors are stunned and disgusted by the allegations.
“Well, it’s shocking that he lives that close to me for sure and you know these guys, they have children and the people behind me, they have kids. I mean, we don’t need that kind of thing especially in a small community like this,” one neighbors said.
“This is small town with good people, hard-working and that’s definitely a bad apple,” another neighbor said.
Brister was initially arrested by Osceola police back in August for sexual assault and sexual indecency with a child. He was working for the Rivercrest School District at the time and taken into custody while at work. Wilson police say Brister was a groundskeeper and a bus driver for the schools but investigators haven’t said if any of the victims are students.
Brister was fired and arrested again several days ago by Wilson police. He’s currently locked up in the Craighead County Jail on a number of charges, including two counts of rape.
Police say Brister left his other job as a Wilson volunteer firefighter before his August arrest. They also say at least one of his alleged crimes dates back to 2012, when he was a teenager.
Brister is currently being held on a $50,000 cash bond. We’ll keep you updated as his case moves through the judicial system.
We called the Rivercrest School District for comment but have not heard back.
