2 Hot Springs men face drug, guns charges

HOT SPRINGS — Two Hot Springs men were arrested early Thursday and early Friday after Garland County sheriff’s deputies found them in possession of drugs, firearms and paraphernalia, authorities said.

Robert Alan Golden, 33, who lists an Amity Road address, was taken into custody around 4:30 a.m. Thursday and Charles Dale Weatherford Jr., 26, who lists a South Moore Road address, was taken into custody around 3:30 a.m. Friday.

Both were charged with possession of drugs and firearms.

Golden was also charged with possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver and unauthorized use of another person’s property to commit a crime, possession of a schedule 2 substance with purpose to deliver, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Weatherford was also charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated and driving on a suspended license.

According to the probable cause affidavit for Golden’s arrest, shortly before 3 a.m. Sgt. Greg Kellar was patrolling the 1700 block of Marion Anderson Road when he noted a strong odor of marijuana.

He approached two vehicles parked on a boat ramp and spoke with Weatherford, Golden and a 27-year-old woman, who were standing nearby. Kellar noted that Weatherford was smoking a pipe that appeared to contain marijuana.

Kellar asked whether there were any other drugs or guns, and Weatherford reportedly admitted he had a pistol in the front console of his vehicle and a shotgun in the rear floorboard, according to reports. Both were loaded, authorities said.

Golden said there was nothing in his vehicle, but Kellar observed a .22-caliber pistol in the passenger seat and a shotgun in between the front seat and center console of his vehicle, according to reports.

After securing the weapons in the vehicle, Kellar began a search of the vehicle.

He located a glass jar containing what later tested positive for 26.8 grams of marijuana, a small bag containing 11.3 grams of what later tested positive for psilocybin mushrooms, and another small bag containing 3.9 grams of what later tested positive for marijuana, authorities said.

Kellar also reported finding a backpack containing loose small bags, digital scales, a pipe typically used for smoking methamphetamine and a marijuana pipe, authorities said. One of the small bags in the backpack contained what later tested positive for 0.6 grams of methamphetamine, authorities said.

Golden was taken into custody and agents with the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force were notified. Weatherford was released without charges at that time.

According to the affidavit for Weatherford’s arrest, around 3:30 a.m. Friday, Deputy Matt Cogburn and Kellar responded to a report of an alarm at the E-Z Mart at Airport and Adcock roads.

Deputies spoke with Weatherford, whom Kellar knew had a suspended driver’s license, the affidavit said. Weatherford reportedly admitted he had weapons in his vehicle, “in the same spot as the night before,” the affidavit said.

While collecting the weapons, Kellar observed a glasses case in the passenger side of the vehicle, the affidavit said.

Kellar asked Weatherford if there was anything illegal in his vehicle, and Weatherford said “there shouldn’t be anything else in the car,” according to the affidavit.

After a search of the vehicle, deputies reported that the glasses case contained a glass pipe and a small plastic bag of a crystal-like substance that later tested positive for 2.6 grams of methamphetamine.

Deputies reportedly also observed Weatherford sweating profusely and noted that his eyes were dilated. When asked how long it had been since he used methamphetamine, he told deputies that it had been about an hour, according to the affidavit.