Hot Springs man arrested for allegedly having cocaine, marijuana near school
A Hot Springs man was arrested Wednesday after Hot Springs police found him allegedly in possession of cocaine and marijuana near a local school.
Fredrick Dewonne Easter, 29, alias “Freaky Fred,” who lists a Detroit
Street address, was taken into custody on an active warrant around noon and charged with felony counts of possession with purpose to de- liver cocaine, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Easter remained in custody Thursday in lieu of $15,500 bond and is set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit,
Capt. William
Hrvatin and Officer 1st Class
Joey Williams responded to the area of Langston Magnet School, 120 Chestnut St., in reference to a complaint of people smoking marijuana near the playground. The caller reportedly stated the odor of marijuana was coming from a house just south of the playground.
Officers made contact with two people in the yard of 143 Chestnut St. and observed an odor of marijuana in the air. A man exited the driver’s seat of a white Ford Crown Victoria parked in the street in front of the house and approached the officers, reportedly telling them he previously smoked a small amount of marijuana, but there was none left.
The man, later identified as Easter, initially gave a false name and told police “there was, in fact, more marijuana in the car,” offered to get the drugs and handed officer Williams a bag containing 3 grams of marijuana. He later admitted his real identity and was found to have an active warrant for his arrest.
Officers searched the vehicle and allegedly found $457 in cash scattered in the front seat. In the vehicle’s dash ashtray officers reportedly found a plastic bag with what later tested positive for 0.1 gram of cocaine and a small drinking straw.
Officers found a bag of what later tested positive for 0.3 gram of cocaine on the driver’s side floorboard. Williams also located a set of digital scales on the rear floorboard and mail addressed to Easter.
It was determined where Easter was located at the time in possession of the alleged items was less than 200 feet from Hot Springs School District property, resulting in an enhancement of the charges against him.
Agents with the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force were notified and took over the investigation.