Probationer allegedly had gun in his vehicle when pulled over
A felon on probation was arrested Monday morning after a traffic stop when he claimed ownership of a gun found in the vehicle.
Robert Glenn Helms Jr., 47, who lists a Little Ponderosa Trail address, was taken into custody around
8:45 a.m. and charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to six years in prison.
Helms was later released on a $2,500 bond and is set to appear Aug. 25 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after
8:30 a.m. Monday, Hot Springs police Officer Thomas Plummer made a traffic stop in the
1400 block of Higdon Ferry Road on a 2000 Nissan Maxima that had been spray-painted black and had no license plate.
Plummer determined the driver was on parole and had a search waiver on file so he had all the occupants of the vehicle step out so he could do a search. Under the front seat, the officer reportedly located a loaded .22-caliber revolver.
The front-seat passenger, identified as Helms, claimed ownership of the weapon.
A computer check revealed Helms was on probation from a previous conviction in Garland County Circuit Court.
According to court documents, Helms was arrested on May 4, 2018, and pleaded guilty on June 24, 2019, to possession of a controlled substance, meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia and was sentenced to five years in prison, with the entire sentence suspended.