Man arrested in rape investigation
PARAGOULD — A man is facing up to 40 years in prison after his arrest on suspicion of raping a child, according to Paragould police.
Jacob Howard, 21, who was listed as homeless, was arrested Feb. 8 after an investigation by Paragould police and the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Paragould police went to East Baldwin Street Feb. 2 after getting a report about the case.
Investigators with the ASP Crimes Against Children Division spoke with the victim. The child told investigators about what happened and named Howard as the person who performed sexual acts on her, according to the affidavit.
A $50,000 bond was set Friday for Howard, who is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 13 in circuit court.
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Drug task force officers in Arkansas have been banded together since November in an effort to eradicate illicit and deadly drugs from communities, culminating with Operation Task Force Arkansas on Jan. 25, according to officials.
The efforts of those officers have led to more than 1,200 arrests, confiscation of hundreds of firearms and more than $55 million in fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioid pills and other drugs being seized, a news release from the Office of the Arkansas Drug Director stated.
White County Sheriff Phillip Miller told The Daily Citizen on Friday that Operation Task Force Arkansas is a continuation of the commitment made when “Operation Central Sweep launched a focused effort [in 2020] to send a clear message to those who would sell drugs and traffic drugs in our communities that we would use all resources to combat their illegal activities.”
Miller said the sheriff’s office and Searcy Police Department are a major part of “the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force … continuing to lead the state in the effort to fight back against criminals that sell drugs and traffic drugs throughout our communities.”
Arkansas Drug Director Boyce Hamlet called it “a new day in Arkansas.”
“We are grateful to our drug task force agents and commanders for their cooperation and leadership,” Hamlet said. “If you are a person that deals fentanyl and opioids in our communities, to our families and around our children, you need to understand the old way of doing business is over.
“Arkansas is sick of the death, destruction and sadness you have brought upon our state. We may have missed you this time, but we won’t the next time. Make a business decision and find a new profession.
You have been warned.”
All 18 operational Arkansas drug task forces “ended the three-month focus with the three-day intense warrants sweep serving 300 total warrants,” the drug director’s office said. “In just three days, officers were able to confiscate 122 grams of fentanyl, 6,572 grams of meth, 500 prescription pills, 500 counterfeit pills (mostly fentanyl), 79 firearms and 256 arrests.
“Since the first day of 2023, they have totaled 522 arrests, more than 1.5 million grams of drugs (including 609 grams of fentanyl and nearly 60,000 grams of methamphetamine) and nearly 23,000 pills, all estimated at $21,852,048 estimate value of the drug confiscations.”
Since Nov. 1, officers have made “1,274 arrests, seized 372 firearms and amassed 2,262,090 grams of drugs and 39,324 pills for $55,387,093 in estimated value of drug confiscations.”
Confiscations since November include 657 grams of crack cocaine, 6,932 grams of powder cocaine, 165 dosages of LSD/Ecstasy (MDMA), 573 grams of heroin, 11,068 grams of fentanyl, 1,842,090 grams of marijuana/ THC edibles (all forms), 260,728 grams of methamphetamine, 18,392 opioid pills, 20,726 counterfeit pills, 2,036 grams of
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kratom, 1,541 vape cartridges, 138,500 grams of other drugs, including Psilocybin mushrooms.
CADTF numbers from Nov. 1, 2022-Jan. 31 show that it made 40 arrests (with 39 arrests still pending) and served nine search warrants. There were 74 cases during that period.
The CADTF seized $5,345,709.50 in drugs, including 31,598.5 ounces of meth, 0.8 milliliters of liquid meth, 4,167,.9 ounces of marijuana, 1.8 grams of cocaine, nine pints of promethazine, 856.5 prescription pills, 75 counterfeit pills and 2,312.2 grams of fentanyl.
It also confiscated five firearms “off the streets,” according to information provided by Searcy Police Department Lt. Todd Wells. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics, 93,331 drug overdose deaths in the United States were estimated during 2020, an increase of 29.4 percent from 72,151 predicted deaths in 2019.
There were 618 drug overdose deaths in Arkansas in 2021.
For information about treatment and recovery centers in Arkansas and where to dispose of medications, residents are asked to visit www.artakeback.org.
“On the website, the Arkansas Opioid Dashboard has a map of the state in which individuals can click individual counties to reveal each county’s Opioid Dashboard, which contains information on peer recovery specialists, drug and alcohol statistics and more,” the release state.
“Prescription medicines are toxic waste and pose a danger to people, pets and the environment. Dispose of expired and unneeded medications in an environmentally safe method by taking them to any of the 270 permanent drop box locations in Arkansas. To find a location, click on the Collection Sites tab and enter a zip code.”
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District Court sets hearings for drug charge cases
The 17th judicial district issued a warrant of arrest for 41 year-old Michael Lawrence Scales of Scott.
He is due in White County Circuit Court on March 2 at 9:00 a.m. for plea and arraignment on three drug charges. Scales is not listed on the current jail roster at the White County Detention Center.
The charges are for trafficking more than 200 grams of a schedule II controlled substance, namely marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia with purpose to package methamphetamine and for possession of 14 grams to 4 oz. of a scheduled VI controlled substance, namely marijuana with purpose to deliver.
According to an affidavit, on Dec. 31, 2020, Bald Knob Police officer Dillon Chandler conducted a traffic stop on a black dodge charger for having fictitious tags. It was learned that the tags actually belonged to a silver Saturn.
Chandler wrote that he activated his emergency lights and the vehicle came to a stop at Highway 167 and Heard Rd.
Chandler reportedly asked the driver of the vehicle for her driver's license and vehicle information he wrote that the registration was expired and he learned from dispatch that the river was Latasha Oglesby.
Chandler reported also that her driver's license was suspended.
While talking to Oglesby, Chandler noted that he could smell a 'strong odor of marijuana.' He then asked her to exit the vehicle. When asked how much marijuana was in the car, Oglesby allegedly said that she had a 'blunt.' When asked where it was, she told him it was in the cup holder.
The passenger in the vehicle with Oglesby identified himself as Michael Scales.
Information came back to Chandler that Scales was a probationer on active supervision with 'a search waiver of file.' Chandler explained that he would be doing a search of the vehicle. Scales was asked to exit the vehicle so the search could be done.
Chandler wrote that he located a bag that contained '1.5 grams of a green leafy substance.
During the course of the 'probable cause search,' Chandler stated that he discovered the 0.9 gram blunt containing a green leafy substance was located in the cup holder. As the search went on, Chandler wrote that he found a glass smoking device with residue that was 'field tested positive' for methamphetamine. Chandler also reportedly located 222.2 grams of a 'crystal-like substance' that field tested positive for methamphetamine. The substance was located a a red backpack that was in the center area of the backseat. Six sandwich bags, known to be used in the packaging of narcotics, were found in the bag.
Another observation that Chandler noted was one of the bags had the corner twisted off of it. Scales was reportedly placed in handcuffs and he and Oglesby were read their rights.
Both, allegedly said they understood and would answers questions 'without a lawyer present.' Wen Oglesby was asked who the red bag with the PlayStation in it belonged to, she reportedly said it belonged to her son. Asked next how the crystal substance got in the bag and Oglesbly allegedly said 'me.' Oglesby was then placed in handcuffs and put into the police car. Both Oglesby and Scales were taken were taken to jail.
After evidence was collected, the vehicle was towed to the Bald Knob Police Station 'to secure the vehicle for seizure.' Chandler wrote that while at the jail, he seized $275 from Scales. At the Bald Knob Police Department, Chandler wrote that he watched the 'back-seat video' with Scales and Oglesby talking. Oglesby allegedly stated that 'I told them that was the kid's bag.' Scales reportedly said 'I'm surprised that ain't found that other (expletive).' As the video played on Chandler noted that Scales said 'they still ain't seen that (expletive) in the
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door. He just looked in that (expletive) and still didn't see it. Flashed that light in that (expletive).' Oglesby later in the video reportedly said 'I'm going to say that's the backpack that's supposed to be the kids. Get what I'm saying.'' Chandler wrote that she was referring to a bag in the trunk.
Bald Knob K9 Officer Jared Tackett was called to run the K9 on the vehicle at the police department and the K9 gave a 'positive alert.' In the driver door, Chandler reported finding a 'large bag of red leafy substance. Tackett reportedly said it could be synthetic marijuana. The weight of the substance was reported to be 109 grams.
Oglesby, 28, of Jacksonville, is also scheduled for court at the same time as Scales on the same charges.She is not in the current roster at the White County Detention Center.
In another warrant for arrest, David Ray Mead, 42, of Little Rock, is scheduled to be in White County Circuit Court on March 2 at 9:00 a.m. His charges are for simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, a class Y felony; possession of firearms by certain persons, a class B felony; possession of 2 to 10 grams of a scheduled II controlled substance, namely methamphetamine, a class C felony and possession of drug paraphernalia with purpose to inhale methamphetamine. Mead’s bond was set
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Man dies in one-car crash
DES ARC —A 64-year-old Griffithville man has died as the result of a one-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon on Arkansas Highway 38 in Prairie County.
The accident occurred at 1:05 p.m. approximately 5 1/2 miles west of Des Arc, according to the report from Cpl. Dallas Taylor of the Arkansas State Police.
Mark E. Calhoun was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado eastbound on Highway 38 when his vehicle left the roadway and went into the south road ditch before striking a concrete barrier.
The weather clear and the road condition was reported to be dry.
