Police arrest man on theft, drug-related charges

Law enforcement agencies worked together recently to arrest a suspect on a theft charge and three drug-related charges.

About 1 a.m. Sunday, Deputy Reyn Brown received a call from Sgt. Daniel Oller with the Hope, Ark., Police Department in reference to spotting an alleged drug suspect, Aaran Daniels, no age available, for whom there was a felony warrant from the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office. Oller advised he was making a traffic stop with Daniels at 706 E. Short Sixth St. in Hope.

Brown arrived shortly after Oller made contact with Daniels and confirmed the active warrant. Daniels was arrested on a charge of felony theft of property. After placing Daniels in hand restraints, Brown searched for weapons and contraband. In the suspect’s left pants pocket, Brown located a clear bag containing a green leafy substance suspected of being marijuana.

Oller walked to the driver’s-side window of Daniels’ vehicle and saw a handgun sticking out from under the driver’s seat. Oller immediately took the weapon. The handgun was a pistol with a stainless-steel slide and turquoise-colored frame. It had 14 unspent 9 mm rounds inside the magazine and one unspent round inside the chamber and ready to fire.

Oller had the police dispatcher conduct a query on the handgun, which allegedly revealed that it was stolen. During a search of the vehicle, Oller found a pipe commonly used for smoking marijuana. The handgun was reportedly stolen Sept. 22 during a burglary on Hempstead County Road 15.

Daniels asked if he could go inside the residence and turn the stove off, because the girl he was staying with left some food cooking for him. Brown took Daniels inside the residence; the stove was not on and nothing was cooking. While walking back toward the door, Deputy Brown saw a digital scale on a small table with what appeared to be marijuana residue on it. Daniels said it was his for personal use. The scale was confiscated at that time.

Daniels was taken to the Hempstead County Detention Facility, where he was charged with theft of property, carrying a prohibited weapon, possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia.