Two Franklin County men arrested on sexual abuse charges

A Franklin County man is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old high school student and is due in court later this month on four felony charges.
Franklin County Sheriff Don Jones says investigators arrested Austin J. Berkley, 24, of Orient around 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 31 at his residence at 100 E. Jackson St., and he was booked into the Franklin County Jail in lieu of $80,000 bond.
Berkley is due in court June 21 for a preliminary hearing on three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of indecent solicitation of a child. Authorities say more arrests are possible.
The formal charges against Berkley allege that on Jan. 8, he "committed an act of sexual penetration" with a 15-year-old victim identified only as "J.P."
Two days later, Jones announced the separate arrest of Shannon L. Braden, 43, of Benton around 1 p.m. June 2, also in connection with a case involving a 15-year-old high school student. Braden faces four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of indecent solicitation of a child. Braden was taken to the Franklin County Jail on $75,000 bond, and authorities have provided no further information on the connections between the two arrests. No pending court appearances for Braden were listed online as of deadline.