Trespassing shoplifter arrested for having loaded gun, drugs
A banned shoplifter initially arrested for trespassing at Walmart was soon facing multiple felony charges Sunday night after a loaded gun, drugs and other items were allegedly found in his possession.
Donovan Michael George, 41, who lists a Pintuerero Way address in Hot Springs Village, was taken into custody shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday and charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, possession of meth with purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to 20 years, and two other counts of possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, involving hydrocodone and alprazolam pills, punishable by six to 10 years.
George was also arrested on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, obstructing government operations, criminal trespass and violation of a no-contact order. He was being held on zero bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County
District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Hot Springs police Cpl. W.K. Franklin responded to Walmart, 1601 Albert Pike, regarding a man, later identified as George, trespassing at the store.
Franklin made contact with Walmart’s loss prevention officer, Robert Hopper, who was detaining George, and he provided proof of a no-contact order issued against George with Walmart as the victim. George initially gave Franklin a false name and date of birth, but eventually admitted his true identity.
During a search of George’s person, Franklin reportedly found a loaded .380-caliber handgun in the waistband of his shorts. In a backpack George was carrying, the officer reportedly found a small silver canister with 4 grams of what later tested positive for meth, 17 alprazolam pills, two hydrocodone pills, a set of digital scales and a glass tube with 2 grams of marijuana.
According to court records, George lists no prior felony history, but had pleaded no contest to misdemeanor theft charges on two prior occasions in district court.