A former Arkansas minor league football coach and his wife were arrested after authorities caught them allegedly attempting to meet a prepubescent child on the internet for sex, according to Law&Crime.
The alleged suspects Benjamin Coney, 26, and Emily “Grace” Brinley, 25, were arrested by Benton County sheriff’s after authorities set them up in a sting operation, making them believe they would meet a child they had been chatting with online. Coney and Brinley were each charged with one count of internet stalking of a minor as well as conspiracy to commit rape, the outlet reported. (RELATED: American Pedophile Mysteriously Freed Early From 50-Year Prison Sentence Faces Fresh Child-Sex Charges)
The investigation began on Nov. 19 after an undercover detective received a direct message on social media allegedly from an account that belonged to Coney and Brinley, redacted affidavits confirmed.
“I’m into some very f*cked up, sick taboos,” an alleged message from the couple stated, according to Law&Crime. “Do you have any [redacted]?”
Arkansas football coach Benjamin Coney, 26, and his wife Emily Brinley, 25, are arrested after arranging sex with undercover cop posing as a girl because ‘my wife likes them young’ https://t.co/JPQ7Q3SUe8 pic.twitter.com/fkXZLn5MSu
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) December 4, 2023
After the undercover detective responded, the couple reportedly suggested moving the conservation to an encrypted messaging service, stating that they could then talk about their “naughtiest most taboo fantasies.” Following the switch to encrypted messaging on Nov. 27, Coney and Brinley detailed their preferred “age range” inadvertently to authorities, according to Law&Crime. (RELATED: 24-Year-Old Teacher Busted For Allegedly Sending Nudes To 16-Year-Old Student)
“It appeared I was talking to the male, so I asked what about his wife,” the affidavits stated, according to the outlet. “He responded that she likes them young and that she wanted to see him ‘f*ck’ a prepubescent [redacted] like [redacted]. He asked if I had ever done anything with my [redacted].”
Coney and Brinley reportedly discussed graphic and detailed child sexual abuse, later providing photographs of themselves which was requested by the undercover officer, Law&Crime reported. The three eventually agreed to meet up and were subsequently “placed under arrest” after their arrival, according to authorities.
“The couple arrived at the predetermined meet location and was placed under arrest,” the affidavits read, Law&Crime reported. “During the vehicle inventory, two sexual aids, lube, and the receipt for lube was located.”
Authorities interviewed the couple separately, with Coney allegedly confessing to a lead role in the incident and Brinley confirming a secondary role. While Coney had reportedly stated that authorities would be able to locate “child sexual abuse material on his devices,” he claimed “he did not think he would actually do anything in real life,” the outlet reported.
Brinley allegedly described that she was uncomfortable with the “sketchy” meeting, with Coney also supporting her claims by stating that she wouldn’t have done anything without him, according to Law&Crime. The Arkansas wife claimed she was attempting to “be a good wife” in following “stuff” she had heard Coney talk about, specifying an incident when Coney revealed that he would allegedly sexually abuse their child “if it was a girl.”
“Grace stated that Ben told her while having sex with her that he wanted to have a baby and if it was a girl he could have sex with her,” the affidavits stated, according to Law&Crime. “Grace stated she started crying and has refused to have sex since then.”
Since the allegations, Coney has been fired from his position on the Arkansas Punishers minor league football team, with the organization tweeting that they “do not support or allow his actions at all.”
The couple’s arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 8, with both being held at the Benton County Jail on a $200,000 bond, ABC7 confirmed.