Holly MatkinTontitown, AR – An Arkansas man who pierced his teen son’s ear without a license to perform body art was arrested on a felony charge at his home late last week (video below).
The investigation into Jeremy Sherland began on April 20, when a Springdale Police school resource officer (SRO) contacted the Tontitown Police Department (TPD) regarding a child welfare concern, the TPD said in a press release on Saturday.
The SRO told the TPD a male student showed up at school with his left ear pierced.
“While sitting in class talking with other students and a teacher present, the juvenile male stated his dad was drunk and put him in a choke hold and shoved the piercing in his ear,” Tontitown police said.
The boy’s father was identified as Sherland.
Officers responded to Sherland’s home and explained the reasons for their presence, then asked him about the incident.
“Jeremy admitted to piercing his son’s ear,” the TPD said. “Officers attempted to investigate the alleged crime further, but Jeremy refused to allow officers to speak with his son and refused to answer questions.”
The officers left the suspect’s home and conferred with the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office before returning to Sherland’s home “to make a probable cause arrest,” the TPD said.
Police said the suspect met them at the front door, but that he refused to step outside when they asked him to do so.
Sherland allegedly stood “in the doorway with his hands behind the door and wall” in an attempt to posture himself, the TPD said.
He was then told he was under arrest.
The TPD said Sherland “refused to comply,” leading to a brief scuffle.
Cell phone footage showed four officers taking the suspect into custody in the foyer of his home.
“Why are you in my house?” his wife asked as she made her way to the door.
An officer told Sherland he was under arrest for body art without a license, at which point the suspect threw his head back and laughed at them profusely, the video showed.
“Body art without a license!” he proclaimed.
Sherland pulled back as the officers were escorting him out the door in handcuffs, but he was quickly removed from the home, the video showed.
“I wanted my ears pierced,” a boy off-camera said as the suspect was being placed in a patrol vehicle.
In addition to the felony charge, Sherland was also booked on charges of endangering the welfare of a minor, obstructing government operations, and refusal to submit to arrest, KVVU reported.
He was released after posting bond and is due in court for his arraignment hearing on May 22.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below:
Arkansas father is arrested for piercing his son's ear, as 4 police bust through his door. “I wanted my ears pierced,” Jeremy Sherland’s son is heard yelling at officers, as his wife confronts the police. pic.twitter.com/PmOWHbmfHb
— Sk Boz Phd (@ProfessorBoz) April 25, 2023
