Man pleads down extensive list of charges

Michael S. Eggleston, 38, of El Dorado, was set to head to trial this morning before agreeing to several last minute plea deals last week in the first division of the Circuit Court of Union County.

Eggleston was facing charges from drug possession to aggravated assault. Several charges were dropped through the plea agreements while Eggleston was sentenced to prison in others.

In the six cases he was facing charges in, Eggleston pleaded guilty in four and had the charges dismissed in two others. Eggleston will spend 42 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and an additional 15 years with a suspended imposition of sentence, meaning he will essentially be placed on probation for that time unless he re-offends.

In one case, Eggleston faced charges of robbery, property theft, aggravated assault and first-degree battery, with a habitual enhancement.

According to court documents, a disoriented man was found lying in the street with severe injuries. After his injuries were treated, the man told El Dorado police officers he’d been with Eggleston the night before he was hurt.

The man told officers Eggleston was agitated and they began to argue. The man said Eggleston pulled him out of the vehicle they were in and punched him in the face until he was unconscious. The man said when he woke up, he saw Eggleston’s vehicle driving straight toward his head.

The man also reported his wallet, which contained $800, was missing, along with his cellphone and a prescription of Suboxone, a drug which treats pain and addiction to pain killers.

At the time of Eggleston’s arrest, officers discovered methamphetamine and Suboxone in his possession. In an interview with police, Eggleston said he asked

the other man to get out of the vehicle, and when he wouldn’t, he did pull him out. However, Eggleston also said the other man struck him first.

Eggleston will serve 42 months (3.5 years) in the ADC for the first-degree battery and the theft of property charges, to be served concurrently. He was also sentenced to 15 years SIS on the count of first-degree battery.

In another case, in which Eggleston was facing three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, along with a habitual enhancement and a misdemeanor possession charge, Eggleston will serve an additional 42 month ADC sentence, concurrent with the other two.

After an overdose in May, first responders searched Eggleston’s vehicle for the drugs that might have caused it. A police officer discovered a bottle with several different types of pills inside it along with a bag of marijuana. The pills were later found to be Oxycontin, Xanax and Hyrdrocodone.

Eggleston was sentenced to 10 years SIS on a charge of possession of a schedule I or II controlled substance with intent to deliver. He received the prison sentence for possession of a schedule IV or V controlled substance with intent to deliver.

A third case found Eggleston charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. In serving an arrest warrant to another person, police officers discovered Eggleston with bags of methamphetamine and marijuana along with a glass pipe on his person.

In that case, Eggleston pleaded guilty to one possession of a controlled substance charge, which landed him a third ADC sentence of 42 months, which will be served concurrently with the other two sentences. For the paraphernalia, Eggleston was sentenced to six years SIS.

The fourth plea agreement was in a case in which Eggleston was facing charges of seconddegree battery, first-degree criminal mischief and resisting arrest. He pleaded guilty to second-degree battery and first-degree criminal mischief, for which he will serve a fourth 42 month ADC sentence concurrent with the other three and another six years of SIS, respectively.

In November 2016, Eggleston was arrested for breaking into a woman’s home and stealing several items. According to court documents, during the arrest, Eggleston fought with officers, kicking one.

In one case where charges were dismissed, Eggleston was charged with first-degree terroristic threatening, first-degree false imprisonment, thirddegree domestic battery and first-degree interference with emergency communications, along with a habitual enhancement.

According to court documents, Eggleston was alleged to have beat up his then-girlfriend, along with preventing her from calling for help and threatening the lives of her and her family.

In the sixth case, Eggleston was appealing prior convictions for traffic violations, possession of a controlled substance and failure to appear. Those charges were also dismissed.

If Eggleston commits another crime while he is on SIS, he will be sentenced to the full term for crimes he’s been convicted of.