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A 61-year-old Gamaliel man who was free on bond awaiting trial on three felony aggravated assault counts was arrested Monday on 49 child pornography charges after Arkansas State Police obtained a bench warrant tied to a child exploitation investigation.
Michael Raymond Wamser was arrested April 27 at the Baxter County Court Complex on a warrant issued April 22, according to the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office. The warrant carried 34 counts of pandering or possessing visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child and 15 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. All 49 counts are Class C felonies.
Bond on the initial charges was set at $150,000.
Wamser was awaiting trial on a separate case stemming from a July 26, 2025, incident at his Fout Road residence. He was charged in that case with three counts of aggravated assault, one count of terroristic threatening, disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental operations and fleeing. A jury trial in that case is scheduled for Aug. 10, 2026, before Circuit Judge Andrew S. Bailey.
According to the affidavit for probable cause, Wamser called 911 the night of July 26, 2025, and said he wanted a man living on his property gone or he was going to shoot him. Dispatch advised responding deputies that Wamser was armed with a pistol and had told them he wanted to die.
Cpl. Conner Stanton wrote that when he arrived, Wamser refused commands to drop the firearm, repeatedly told officers to shoot him and waved the pistol in the direction of each officer on scene. The affidavit states Wamser told deputies he had multiple firearms inside the residence and that his pistol was “nothing compared to what he had inside.” Deputies took him into custody after another deputy approached from behind while Wamser was distracted.
The pistol recovered at the scene was loaded with seven .45-caliber rounds, according to the affidavit.
Search of residence
After Monday’s arrest on the child exploitation warrant, Arkansas State Police and Sheriff’s Office investigators served a search warrant at Wamser’s Fout Road residence. The Sheriff’s Office said additional child pornography materials were seized during the search.
Investigators also recovered approximately 50 firearms, psychedelic mushrooms, digital scales, approximately 80 grams of suspected kratom and a pipe bomb.
The Arkansas State Police bomb squad was called to collect and dispose of the explosive device, which was found inside a closet.
Following the search, a judge found probable cause to charge Wamser with possession of an explosive device, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with purpose to deliver in connection with the mushrooms and spawn, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with purpose to deliver in connection with the kratom and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. All are felonies.
A bond of $250,000 was added on the new charges, bringing Wamser’s total bond to $400,000.
A familiar pattern
Wamser’s case follows a recurring pattern in Baxter County and the broader 14th Judicial District in which defendants charged with serious felonies remain free on bond and are subsequently arrested on additional charges.
Steven M. Manson Jr., a registered sex offender, was free on bond when he was charged with felonies including child rape, kidnapping, incest and sexual assault across five Marion County case numbers. The Observer reported in March that Sheriff Gregg Alexander had been warned about Manson by an Illinois resident in September 2025, more than a month before the charges were filed. Manson, his father Steven L. Manson Sr. and Dezarae Kennedy entered not-guilty pleas at a March 31 arraignment. Their next hearing is June 23.
In the Baxter County Barnett-Wright child abuse case, the Observer documented that the Department of Human Services received 29 abuse reports over 11 years before charges were filed. Defendants were free during much of that period. A pretrial hearing in that case is set for May 18, 2026, also before Judge Bailey.
The Observer also reported on Brian Eddie Sides, whose serial fraud history continued through repeated arrests, and on the Laubenstein sex offender registry removal in Marion County, which proceeded with no opposition from Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Russo.
Wamser’s pretrial hearing on the aggravated assault and related charges is scheduled for June 22, 2026.
The Sheriff’s Office said additional charges may follow as the investigation continues.
This is a developing story.
