The niece of a convicted serial child rapist has pled guilty to the charge of permitting abuse of a minor Dec. 21 and was sentenced to time in the state prison system.
Brandy Lynn Cox, 41, of Glenwood, entered the plea before Judge Bryan Chesshir during proceedings held in Clark County on the Pike County charge, according to Dan Turner, 9th East prosecuting attorney, who handled the prosecution of Barry Walker in October 2022 for the rape of 31 juvenile females.
Cox was sentenced to a total of 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with five years suspended and fined $1,250 in fines and costs. Turner said the conditions of the suspended sentence include that Cox complete counseling classes, parenting classes and substance abuse programming while in ADC.
Cox was charged in Pike County in December 2022. According to case information, Cox admitted during an interview in July 2022 that her daughters told her at the end of April 2022 that Barry Walker had been sexually assaulting them. Cox said she told her father and other family members about the the disclosure and that no one reported the incident at the time.
Cox also stated that her daughter told her Walker had molested her six year prior but Cox did not report the incident and she continued to allow her children to spend nights alone with Walker.
Cox also stated she and Walker discussed the accusations and Walker told her not to go to the police or he would have her arrested.
She also stated Walker offered her a house, $10,000 and other considerations for not reporting him to authorities. She admitted that between finding out about the assault and going to the police on June 8, she allowed her daughters to be with Walker.
