An Arkansas judge resigned from his seat this week when thousands of photos of naked male defendants were found in his possession.
The state’s Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission (JDDC) discovered approximately 4,500 photos on Judge Joseph Boeckmann’s computer, amid allegations that he coerced multiple defendants into performing sex acts for court favors. An investigation of the Cross County judge was launched when several men came forward with stories that Boeckmann offered them “community service” options to get their charges and fines reduced, as well as time extensions to pay off those fines.
Multiple defendants were photographed bending down to pick up cans.
One of them, R.M., claims he was asked to bring cans to the judge’s home, where Boeckmann photographed him bending over to pick them up. The judge mentioned repeatedly that R.M. wouldn’t have to pay a $500 court fine for a traffic ticket he received, offered R.M. drinks, and said he’d pay $300 for R.M. to pose like the Statue of David. R.M. declined the drinks and money, and feared that his life was in danger.
The judge allegedly drove a minor charged with driving without a license to a local cemetery, where he also photographed the teenager bending down to pick up cans. According to the teen, Boeckmann said the pictures were taken to document the “community service.”
A third defendant, A.S. says he engaged in a sexual relationship with Boeckmann, posing in nude photos and allowing the judge to touch him so that he’d have more time to pay court fines.
According to court documents, thousands of the photos were close up shots of the men’s buttocks, or showed the defendants bending over. JDDC also concluded that Boeckmann passed out checks to some of the defendants.
The judge denied the allegations for months. He resigned Monday, after he received a JDDC letter informing him of the photos that were discovered.
“They all depict young men, many naked who are in various poses inside the judge’s home and outside in his yard,” the letter reads. “There are numerous photos of naked young men bending over after an apparent paddling.”
Boeckmann has served as a part-time judge since 2009. He says he will not seek another public service job at the local, county, or state levels.