WM Councilman weighs in on Watkins

WM Councilman weighs in on Watkins

Mondy recounts history of trouble with accused drug dealer

news@theeveningtimes.com

West Memphis alderman Willis Mondy took part of the City Council work session last Thursday to recount negative experiences with accused drug dealer Kyle Watkins.

Watkins, an officer in the Crittenden County NAACP (currently suspended) and one-time Quorum Court candidate, was arrested last month by Shelby County Sheriff’s officers staking out a delivery of two pounds of methamphetamine.

Drug dogs sniffed out the package at a sorting facility, which alerted law enforcement, who then watched the delivery to a Shelby County home.

Within the hour, Watkins drove to the home and later cops saw the package placed in the vehicle in which he then drove away.

Watkins was arrested on a traffic stop just after leaving the home.

Something didn’t add up, Mondy contended. A twopound meth deal is not a rookie drug dealer transaction, he suggested. Mondy, pointing to the drug arrest, intimated that with Watkins, where there was smoke there is fire.

Mondy then outlined a number of other controversies Watkins had been involved with recently, including his own personal altercation with Watkins, and a video Watkins made surprising school superintendent Jon Collins about the L.R. Jackson school, which was making the rounds on Facebook.

In August of 2015, Mondy and Watkins had a verbal disagreement about the use of the L.R. Jackson Girls Club and the Roberta Jackson Neighborhood Center, which ultimately blew up into fisticuffs at the West Memphis-based Agape Christian Center. Both men were charged in the incident. Mondy was later convicted of misdemeanor assault and paid a $200 fine. Felony charges on Watkins from the fight were later dismissed.

Mondy alleged a history of possible drug use with Watkins.

“I have never said anything to you about the fight,” Mondy told the City Council. “He came at me and I had to defend myself.

I knew something was wrong with him when I looked at him.”

Mondy wound up with a trip to the hospital and a broken knee. He still limps. Mondy then pointed to Watkins’ agitation with the schooled district.

“I knew something was wrong with him for a long time,” said Mondy. “He videoed John Collins unbeknownst to him. If you ever see that video you know something is wrong with him. He’s on drugs on that video and I know he is. He is sniffing and going on.”

Before the brawl with Mondy, Watkins had been a vocal critic of the state of affairs at the LR Jackson Girls Club at a series of council meetings. Club Director Chancey Rainey held a community meeting to address the issues forwarded by Watkins in the community and at city council meetings.

Rainey, who continues as the non-profit club director in a city building despite facing her own felony drug charge for an altered prescription in a separate instance, moderated the community meeting, which was marked by arguments and discord.

“I didn’t want to see him over the girls club,” said Mondy.

“I sure don’t want to see him working with the girls now,” said Mayor Bill Johnson.

Mondy then pointed to Watkins’ unsanctioned attempt to start an after school meal program at the Roberta Jackson Neighborhood Center. The city owns the building and the NAACP had offices there.

New activities took the city by surprise. The building was inspected. Restroom problems and cracks in the wall ultimately led city council to vote unanimously to close the building for health and safety reasons.

“Then he wanted to start an after-school program in the neighborhood center,” said Mondy. “He set up without asking. He just snuck around. I am talking about Kyle Watkins. He hadn’t told to anybody.”

Mondy was the latest voice to decry Watkins.

State NAACP Legal Counsel James Welspom cast aspersions Watkins’ way after the arrest and questioned the connections between Watkins and the local chapter.

“How does Kyle sit on that board for six years and selling dope but no one knows what he was doing until he is arrested?” asked Welspom. “He’s never had a job and no one thought, ‘hey, how is he getting his bills paid?’ They knew what was going on.”

Watkins also made news when he won a quorum court primary by one vote and then lost the subsequent runoff. He called for a recount to validate the results. In an April 14, 2016 interview Watkins expressed contempt over the final results calling out election commissioner Dixie Carlson.

“That old woman stole the election,” said Watkins.

Watkins was charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell, and one count of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell. He is currently free on a $75,000 bond while awating trial.

By John Rech