Stolen vehicle leads to felony drug charges
A local man and a homeless woman were arrested late Saturday on felony charges involving drugs and a gun after Hot Springs police made a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle.
Jerome A. Hunter, 55, who lists a Dexter Street address, and Schyler Elizabeth Norman, 35, who lists “city streets” as her address, were both taken into custody around 9:15 p.m. and each charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and possession of meth with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 20 years.
Hunter, a felon, was also
charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to 20 years, theft by receiving and possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to six years. Norman also had a warrant for failure to appear. Both were being held on zero bond and were set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday, Officer Richard Davis was patrolling in the area of Malvern and East Grand avenues when he spotted a red Dodge pickup truck that matched the description of one reported stolen earlier.
After checking the license plate and confirming it was the stolen vehicle, he followed it to the 300 block of Potter Street where it pulled into a parking space in front of a residence and he made a traffic stop. The driver, identified as Hunter, and passenger, identified as Norman, were both taken into custody.
During an inventory of the vehicle, Davis found a clear bag containing three smaller baggies between the driver and passenger side floorboard. Two baggies were found to contain what later tested positive for meth, a total of 4.2 grams, and the other baggie had four pills later determined to be Buspirone Hydrochloride, not a controlled substance.
Behind the passenger side seat, a loaded 9-mm handgun was found and the affidavit notes the gun and meth were both within reach of Hunter and Norman.
In searching Hunter, officers reportedly also found a digital scale, a nylon holster and a glass pipe with burn marks. Hunter was found to have several prior felony convictions, with the most recent on July 1, 2016, for possession with purpose to deliver meth or cocaine.