Alonza Jiles is accused of ignoring widespread child sexual abuse while working at The Lord’s Ranch, a now-defunct religious boarding school in north Arkansas. State officials, including Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, have called on him to resign from the board.

A large group of state lawmakers held a news conference at the Arkansas State Capitol Thursday renewing their calls for Jiles’ resignation. Senate President Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, said he’s lost confidence in Jiles’ ability to serve on the Corrections Board.

“We all have an appreciation that in the United States of America, in Arkansas, you are innocent until proven guilty. That’s not what this conversation is about,” Hester said. “This conversation is about a Board of Corrections member who has lost public trust. Five lawsuits, over 50 people with significant, serious allegations, are a real distraction for the work that needs to be done.”

Arkansas lawmakers renew calls for Corrections Board member’s resignation

*Daniel Breen/Little Rock Public Radio*
Arkansas Senate President Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, speaks alongside fellow lawmakers at the Arkansas State Capitol on Thursday.

A member of the Arkansas Board of Corrections is facing calls to resign after allegations of child abuse were lodged against a former employer. He was appointed to the board by then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson in 2022.

Alonza Jiles was once the senior director of The Lord's Ranch and is now a pastor. The therapeutic boarding school was formerly located in Warm Springs Ark. near the Missouri border. It has come under fire after former residents say they were physically and sexually abused at the facility, and that Jiles knew and did nothing to stop it.

The Gillispie Law firm in Arkansas has been filing lawsuits against the now-defunct camp’s former employees. So, far they have filed two lawsuitson behalf of dozens of accusers listed only as “John Does.” The lawsuits detail at least seven instances where Jiles was told about molestation at the camp, but refused to intervene.

Pressure mounts against Board of Corrections member affiliated with abuse