Local man, woman arrested on multiple charges after raid
A local man and woman were arrested on multiple felony charges early Wednesday after a raid on their residence by Hot Springs police allegedly uncovered drugs, guns and a large amount of cash in their possession.
Eddie Tyrice Watkins, 36, and Amy Jane Bostick, 31, both of 221 Autumn St., Apt. 7, were taken into custody at their residence shortly after 6 a.m. and each charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, possession of meth with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 30 years, two counts of possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, involving ecstasy and hydrocodone, unauthorized use of another person’s property to facilitate certain crimes, first-degree forgery, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
They were each also charged with two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor because their children, ages 2 and 4, were reportedly found inside the residence at the time of the raid. Watkins, a convicted felon, was also charged with possession of a firearm by certain persons, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison.
They both remained in custody Thursday on zero bond and are set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, detectives with the HSPD’s Special Investigations Division Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at
the residence with the assistance of the department’s SWAT team, which made entry and secured the residence. Watkins and Bostick were reportedly found in the master bedroom and the children were in their own bedroom.
In searching the master bedroom, the detectives allegedly saw in plain sight a set of digital scales, a baggie with 3.5 grams of what later tested positive for meth, another bag with 12.15 grams of meth, a bag with 28.28 grams of marijuana, smoking pipes and a .22-caliber derringer revolver, ammunition and a holster.
The affidavit notes all the items “would have been easily reached and accessible by the
2- and 4-year-old.”
On the bed in the master bedroom, the detectives allegedly found multiple baggies, another set of digital scales, a holster, more pipes, a metal container with a hydrocodone pill and two ecstasy pills “shaped like cartoon characters,” two used syringes, another bag with
33.78 grams of meth, and a handgun grip.
On top of a small safe in the bedroom, they reportedly found a .45-caliber revolver cylinder and gun parts. Inside the safe, they found five bundles of money, a total of $7,260. In a nightstand, they found more pipes, another bag with 1.9 grams of meth, 13 more ecstasy pills, a Red Bull can with a false compartment and more ammunition.
Under the bed, they reportedly round 44 rounds of
.380-caliber ammunition and a firearm magazine. In a toolbox on the floor, they found a
.45-caliber revolver, a .22-caliber revolver, a bag with 52 rounds of
.22-caliber ammunition. In the kitchen, detectives reportedly found a counterfeit $100 bill, a mirror with meth residue and more baggies.
The affidavit notes that the residence is within 1,000 feet of the Grand Avenue Baptist Church at 324 Autumn St. and is owned by the Housing Authority of Hot Springs.
Watkins was previously convicted of a felony count of possession of a controlled substance on Feb. 27, 2017. He also has felony drug charges pending in Garland County Circuit Court stemming from an arrest in July
2018.