Former Arkansas mayor faces new felony tax charges

Christopher Franklin, the former mayor of Helena-West Helena, faces new felony tax-related charges, according to Arkansas State Police.

Franklin, 44, surrendered to the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 5 after being informed that State Police had obtained an arrest warrant for him on charges of felony attempt to evade and defeat taxes, a Class C felony, ASP said in a press release Thursday.

Josiah Walker, 29, also was charged with felony attempt to evade and defeat taxes in connection with Franklin’s case, according to ASP spokesperson Cindy Murphy. Walker surrendered to the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.

Franklin was charged in June with four counts of failure to pay or file a tax return, a Class D felony. He was still mayor at the time, but was removed from office by court order on July 7.

Franklin’s arrests stem from an investigation by the ASP Special Investigations Unit that began in June 2024 at the request of First Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Todd Murray based on concerns about the mayor’s tax filings. Investigators determined that Franklin had not filed any state tax returns for four of the past five years.

Franklin was released on his own recognizance after his latest arrest and given a court date of Jan. 5, according to the ASP news release.

In October, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Joseph Whitfield, 33, to fill Franklin’s unexpired term. Whitfield will be eligible to run for a full term in 2026.