Local man facing six trials

An El Dorado man will face six separate trials involving a variety of charges ranging from robbery to false imprisonment.

Michael S. Eggleston, 37, of El Dorado, appeared in the First Division of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Union County on Thursday. In May, Eggleston was arrested and charged with possession of controlled substances, false imprisonment in the first degree, terroristic threatening, domestic battery and interfering with emergency communications.

Additionally, he is facing charges of robbery, aggravated assault, driving on a suspended license and criminal mischief. With all charges combined, Eggleston could face up to 275 years in prison. He will appear in court again in November.

In other court business Thursday, Byron Brown, 24, of El Dorado, was sentenced to three years in the Arkansas Community Correction Center after a third petition to revoke his probation appeared in front of Judge Hamilton Singleton. Originally charged with possession of methamphetamine in 2016, Brown was sentenced to probation.

“The first time [I was on probation,] I wasn’t taking it seriously. This time I was. I got arrested at work,” Brown said.

The state alleges that Brown failed to report to his probation officer several times this year. Brown said he “couldn’t come up with $500” he was expected to pay at his probation meeting, which is why he didn’t go. Additionally, he said, reporting interfered with his work schedule.

“You’ve made a total mess of your probation,”

Singleton said.

Latoya Henry, 32, of Strong was sentenced to three years in the Arkansas Community Correction Center after several missed meetings with her probation officer led to a petition to revoke her probation. Originally charged with commercial burglary in 2016, she has since had a petition to revoke her probation once in 2017.

Henry said she was unable to report to her probation officer because she could not secure a ride to the office. She said she has spent this time getting a job and getting herself into a home.

An Arkansas Community Correction officer said when they tried to make a home visit to Henry, they discovered the address she’d listed as her residence was not where she said it was.

“[There was] no home on East Taylor because East Taylor doesn’t exist,” the officer said.

Henry disagreed, saying it does exist, but that she had moved to Strong. She said she had been unable to get in touch with her probation officer and was busy trying to secure the home she’s renting.

“I already gave you two chances [and] all you’ve done is rub the noses of ACC in the dirt,” Singleton said.

Confusion arose twice in Singleton’s courtroom when similarity in names brought the wrong defendant to the front of the room. Jamecus Miller approached the stand as a bailiff brought incarcerated Demontras Miller to the courtroom; the judge called for Demontras, and Jamecus took his seat back in the gallery until he was called.

Two men both named Michael McRae were also in court Thursday. Michael Auvle McRae was there for

one of his first appearances, facing charges for possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a prohibited weapon; another Micahel A. McRae was there for a review of his status on

probation. The second McRae had the charges against him dropped after successfully completing his probation. The first will appear in court again after he has been assessed by ACC for an alternative sentencing program.