Jeremy Sherland, 45, of Tontitown, Washington County, Arkansas, United States is accused of forcibly piercing his juvenile son’s left ear at home. While sitting in class talking with other students and a teacher present, the son reportedly said his father was drunk and put him in a choke hold and shoved the piercing in his ear.

In Arkansas, it is illegal to perform a piercing outside of an unlicensed facility and have body piercing for children under age 16. The law in the state allows for piercing of the earlobe. 

On April 20, 2023, a Springdale Public Schools police resource officer reported to the Tontitown Police Department that Sherland’s son had shown up at school with his left ear pierced. That day, officers went to Sherland’s residence.

When the officers met Sherland at the front door, they asked him to step outside but he refused. Sherland laughed when he found out why he was being arrested and said, “Body art without a license!”

Sherland admitted piercing his son’s ear but refused to talk to the officers about the piercing further. The officers arrested Sherland and booked him into the Washington County Jail in Fayetteville, Washington County.

After posting $1,500 bond, Sherland was released from jail. He was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, resisting arrest and obstruction of government operation.